Delhi cops on toes to allay initial fears and confusion

NEW DELHI: There was some scepticism and apprehension at police stations on Monday as people came to terms with the new criminal laws that came into operation on the first day of July. Many police stations not only had boards, posters and pamphlets on the new criminal law codes, but they also had helpdesks to provide necessary information to complainants.At one, balloons adorned the compound while the entrance had a board displaying important sections of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
At a police station in southwest Delhi, Ganga had come to complain about being defrauded of her money. “I only learnt about the new laws today after reaching the police station,” she said in Hindi. “I was curious about how this would impact my case and from what I have gathered from the police officers so far is that the law is centred on citizens.”
Like Ganga, many others asked numerous questions at the police station, mostly about how the new laws would benefit them. Subham Arora, 26, who had come to report a theft at his shop, said his primary concern was punishment for the culprits, who he wanted tracked down. After being briefed about the new system, Arora realised he would receive updates on the status of his complaint. “The crime scene was videographed by the policeman. This was something new. From the briefing, I understand that the accused will receive a harsher punishment and the investigation will be more transparent,” he said.
When he reached the police station with a complaint, garment businessman Mohammad Rafi was whisked into a room displaying posters on the new laws. Male and female officers were present to inform complainants about the new system. “People will learn about the new laws with time. Most of us aren’t acquainted with the new sections,” said Rafi.
After being briefed by the officers, Rafi reiterated an important point: cases can now be registered anywhere and police cannot refuse to accept a complaint. He said, "What matters most is the timely update of my case. Otherwise, many people I know have had to run from pillar to post to find out the status of their case. I am hoping the new laws won’t put me in the same situation.”