The Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP), Prashant Kumar, has directed all district police and police commissionerates to closely monitor religious events. This action follows reports that criminals have been using such gatherings to hide their identity and avoid arrest after committing crimes.
On Monday, the DGP issued a formal directive to the state police, asking them to strengthen intelligence systems and activate social media monitoring cells. He highlighted that criminals have been found taking advantage of religious events to mix with crowds and avoid police detection.
According to the Uttar Pradesh police headquarters, many religious events in the state are attended by both locals and people from other districts and states. This provides an opportunity for criminals to hide among the large crowds and evade arrest.
The issue became more serious after the investigation into the death of inspector Sunil Kumar. Kumar was shot on January 21, 2025, during an encounter with the Mustafa Kagga gang in Shamli district. He died two days later. During the investigation, police found that some members of the gang had hidden in religious gatherings after the attack to avoid getting caught.
“It was during the investigation of this case that it became clear that criminals are using religious events to avoid being arrested,” said DGP Kumar. “This has made it necessary for us to keep a close watch on such events.”
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To prevent such misuse of religious events, the DGP has outlined specific measures to be followed:
Monitor Suspicious Persons:
All districts and police commissionerates have been ordered to keep an eye on suspicious persons attending religious events. If anyone appears to have a criminal background or behaves suspiciously, police must take immediate action.
Strengthen Intelligence and Social Media Monitoring:
The district intelligence system and social media monitoring cells should be fully activated. Police should keep track of any unusual activity or messages on social media linked to religious events.
Register and Verify Attendees:
Organisers of religious events must maintain a detailed register of attendees, including their names, addresses, and photo IDs like Aadhaar cards. Police officers should inspect these registers regularly to verify the identity and background of participants.
Coordination with Event Organisers:
Senior police officers should regularly meet event organisers and brief them on the importance of monitoring attendees. If any suspicious persons are identified, organisers should inform the local police immediately.
Monthly Inspection:
Every month, a senior police officer must inspect the event registers and cross-check the details of participants with their places of residence. If any person with a criminal record is identified, the police should take action under the law.
The DGP emphasised that religious events should remain peaceful and safe, and any attempt by criminals to misuse them must be prevented through proper monitoring and cooperation between the police and organisers.
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