Police roll out citywide ‘Eyes and Ears’ drive
Delhi Police on Saturday conducted a citywide outreach programme under its “Eyes and Ears” scheme, drawing thousands of participants across police stations in all districts as well as metro and Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) units.
The large-scale exercise, held simultaneously across the city, aimed to strengthen public vigilance and encourage citizens to act as the first line of information by promptly reporting suspicious activities, individuals or objects. Officials said the initiative is a key part of Delhi Police’s preventive security measures during the high-alert period preceding Republic Day.
According to the police, the programme saw wide participation from Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Market Welfare Associations (MWAs), hotel owners, second-hand car dealers, fruit and vegetable vendors, security guards, porters and other community stakeholders who routinely interact with large numbers of people. Special arrangements were made at police stations to facilitate in-person attendance and collective viewing of the central discussion session.
A joint awareness and interaction session was conducted by ACP Ranjay Atrishya, ACP/APRO, and ACP Kailash Bisht from the Special Cell. The discussion was streamed live on the official YouTube channel of Delhi Police and simultaneously screened at police stations across districts, metro units and IGIA to ensure maximum outreach.
During the session, senior officers emphasised that community members often serve as the “eyes and ears” of the police due to their daily presence in public spaces. Participants were briefed on how timely information sharing can help prevent crimes, detect suspicious movements early and support swift police response.
RWAs were advised to strengthen basic security practices in residential areas, including installing and maintaining CCTV cameras, conducting proper tenant verification and keeping a watch on the movement of hawkers and delivery personnel. MWAs were urged to improve CCTV coverage in market areas, preserve footage for longer durations, attend regular police briefings and circulate security-related advisories among shop owners and workers.
Hotel owners were instructed to carry out strict verification at the time of guest check-in and to maintain accurate and updated records of all occupants, a measure the police said is crucial during periods of heightened security. SIM card vendors were reminded to strictly follow the Department of Telecommunications guidelines while issuing new connections to prevent misuse.
