Patrol religious places every morning, keep an eye out for meat: Delhi Police chief Amulya Patnaik’s order to DCPs

Sources told The Indian Express that in a recent meeting with officers at the police headquarters, Patnaik said the exercise would be called “good morning patrolling”, wherein patrolling staff from the police station will visit “temples, churches, mosques, etc… to remove any objectionable thing, like beef or pork” from the vicinity.

Patnaik told the district Deputy Commissioners of Police that the move will help prevent any tension in the city. It would also ensure that “miscreants” are not able to “cause any damage to these prayer venues to start riots”, Patnaik is learnt to have told the districts heads.

Police sources said the move comes against the backdrop of meat being found in or around religious places. In 2014, tension simmered in Okhla after a dead pig was found in a mosque. In 2015, animal meat was found near a temple in Sarita Vihar.

Sources also said the police commissioner is of the view that such patrolling will reduce burglaries, vandalism and other crimes, which usually take place early in the morning.

DCPs have been asked to prepare a roster for the morning patrol, and ensure that their staff are informed about the initiative. Delhi has 13 police districts and 165 police stations.