Externed 1,100 people to control criminal activities: Delhi Police

Delhi Police removed over 1,100 habitual offenders from the city last year under the provisions of the Delhi Police Act, official data reveals.

The externment process, designed to maintain peace and harmony, aims to keep criminals away from specific areas for a set duration, a senior police officer explained.

“In total, 1,130 individuals were externed from various districts of Delhi after being found suitable for externment proceedings under Sections 47 and 48 of the Delhi Police Act (removal of persons about to commit offences),” the officer stated.

As part of the procedure, notices are issued to these individuals, requiring them to justify why they should not be externed. If their explanation is found unsatisfactory, further action is taken, the officer added.

The data indicates that Delhi Police externed 268 people in 2015, 215 in 2016, 133 in 2017, 79 in 2018, 302 in 2019, 176 in 2020, 311 in 2021, 716 in 2022, and 619 in 2023.

Another senior officer elaborated that Section 47 of the Delhi Police Act allows the Commissioner of Police to remove individuals whose actions or movements endanger public safety or property or are linked to offences involving force, violence, or intimidation.

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Externment plays a crucial role in maintaining societal peace and disrupting criminal activities by forcing offenders to relocate to unfamiliar areas, making it difficult for them to reestablish criminal networks, the officer noted.

“Once externed, it becomes challenging for a criminal to resume illegal activities in a new state. Building new connections in an unfamiliar area is not an easy task,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)