Safety gadgets soon for Delhi cops on night duty

In a move to enhance safety of its personnel posted at various check posts across the city during night hours, the Delhi police will soon procure 1,000 portable body lights for policemen and traffic policemen.

The Delhi police has floated a tender for portable body lights for use by policemen, including those on traffic duty, in the city. The decision was taken after a spate of road accidents were witnessed where drivers rammed vehicles into the security barricades erected for checking, resulting in either injury or death of the policemen on duty.

“We are procuring these gadgets for the safety of policemen on night duty at various check points across the city. The portable body lights will be fixed on the uniform of policemen deployed at the check posts for better visibility. We are in the process of adopting more such advanced devices to curb traffic violation cases in the city,” Garima Bhatnagar, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said. She added that these portable body lights are lightweight and battery-operated devices. The light will flash red, blue and white for better visibility during fog in winters. It will help drivers to easily identify the presence of policemen at check posts during fog and rain when visibility is extremely low.

“The tenders have been already floated. The devices will be available to policemen before winter. It has been strictly instructed that all policemen at the check posts should wear jackets with reflector tape and carry flash rods with green and red lights,” she added.

On July 16, two people, including a police constable, were killed and as many injured when a truck rammed a police barricade and hit three cars in R.K. Puram. On March 4, a Delhi police head constable was killed after a speeding vehicle hit him while he was positioned at a check post during early hours.

Traffic personnel said they frequently feel threatened by drunk drivers and truck drivers who often ram vehicles on the barricades in an attempt to avoid police checking. “Portable lights will be more feasible during the rains and fog. We request drivers to slow down their vehicles at the check posts as they have been put up for their safety,” said a traffic constable.