WORLD CUP 2018: DELHI POLICE LOOK AFTER REVELLERS
Cheer for your favourite team in World Cup 2018 with friends at your preferred city pub, as Delhi Police keep a vigil for your safety.
Nothing matches the thrill of catching a soccer game with friends over a few drinks, feels Amit Dhawan, who is rooting for Brazil in this ongoing FIFA World Cup. And like many Delhiites, he, too, loves hanging out at a pub to follow the match.
However, as the game progresses, the atmosphere gets tense, and with goals conceded, there are chances of supporters breaking into drunken brawls in pubs. To ensure such incidents don’t occur, the ever-vigilant Delhi Police (DP) are quietly keeping surveillance as you enjoy the match without any trouble.
Talking about DP’s initiative, Madhur Verma, DCP (New Delhi), says, “For special events like the World Cup, we increase the number of police officers to almost a double who keep a vigil. We are conducting surveillance in pubs and restaurants where matches are being screened. In major market areas, on the instructions from the Commissioner of Police, we are taking antiterrorist precautions like providing inverted mirrors at parking lots and have deployed a reserve force.”
To encounter one such surveillance, we accompanied the police to a posh restro-bar in Connaught Place. In the beginning, people were watching the match animatedly. After a point, two groups of friends got up to dance, and in excitement, fell on top of each other. This resulted in an aggressive discussion. At this point, the cops stepped in and handled the situation, bringing the focus back on the game.
The management of city pubs is happy with this drive. Sandeep Giroh, manager of a pub in CP, says, “I respect the decision. People, who create ruckus, know that the cops are around and behave properly. It instills a sense of security.” Amit Chugh, the manager of another pub says, “We don’t allow stag entries during nights. We do screen late night matches, but when it is over, we shut down the screen after a closing announcement.”
Contrary to the popular belief that the police isn’t popular in such places, pubhoppers actually support this initiative. Saleem Dutta, an engineer, says, “I’ve seen people fighting over petty issues while drunk. This drive is a welcome step.” Expressing similar sentiments, Mannat Singh, a student, says, “We consider police to be nonapproachable. This is a peoplefriendly initiative. If you’re alone in a pub, presence of a cop makes you feel secure.”
However, police are aware that their presence might dampen the celebratory mood. So they carry out their duties discreetly. “We know people get a bit uncomfortable upon seeing cops in pubs; so we make sure to not make a show of our visits. But when people get into a brawl, we have to interfere. We tell everyone that we are here so that you can have fun,” says a cop.
Women football fans particularly sound upbeat about this drive. Soumya Dhigra, a student, says, “Very few girls are interested in soccer and are out of their homes to watch the World Cup. So this patrolling makes us feel secure. Also, we are alien to the idea of police being friendly, so this drive will break that wall,too. Now, I can come to a pub and watch a match with an all-girls group.”
And that’s not all. West Delhi police are also keeping a check that banned items don’t get a way inside the restaurant premises. Vijay Kumar, DCP (West Delhi) says, “We are visiting places where match screening is happening. We take a narcotics team to check for hookahs and on weekends, we increase the number of surveillance rounds.” ruchika.garg@hindustantimes.com