Delhi HC criticises police on delay in installing CCTV cameras

The Delhi High Court on Friday slammed the city police for "not doing anything" to install CCTV cameras in Aman Vihar despite the area reporting hundreds of cases of missing children and adults, saying the law enforcer has "not appreciated" the seriousness of its orders. "It is misfortune of people living in Aman Vihar that not a single CCTV camera has been installed there by the respondent (police)," a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said.

"It appears the seriousness (of our orders) has not been appreciated by the respondent. Enough is enough. Unnecessarily, you people are not doing anything," the court said. According to Delhi police, the court noted, 587 cameras were to be installed at 118 vulnerable locations in the city, but it has not been done.

In 2017, the court had told the police that it should not cite lack of funds as an excuse to not install the cameras and ensure proper lighting in those areas. On Friday, the court told the Delhi Police Commissioner to install CCTV cameras in Aman Vihar and other vulnerable locations "as early as possible" and preferably within six months

And if more than 587 cameras are required, it added, more should be installed. The high court also directed the Delhi government to ensure proper lighting in all vulnerable areas, including Aman Vihar.

It directed the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation to take charge of lighting and asked the AAP government to monitor the lights were properly installed and maintained. It also asked the police department to carry out proper investigation into the cases of missing children and adults and file a report about the status of its probe.

The court's directions came during the hearing of a PIL initiated by it on its own to deal with the issue of missing children and adults from Aman Vihar.

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