Terrorism biggest challenge for Delhi Police: New chief

New Delhi -  Terrorism is the biggest challenge for Delhi Police, its new chief Neeraj Kumar said Saturday and stressed on the need for better rapport between the police and public.

"Terrorism is number one challenge for Delhi Police and the arrest of Abu Jindal does not mean that terror strikes in the capital would end. It is a dynamic situation," he said adding that  prevention and detection of crime, and maintenance of law and order were the other challenges.

Stressing on increased interaction between police and citizens, Neeraj Kumar said that though the relation between police and public is not poor at present, but it can be better.

"Our proximity and interface with public should improve but I am not saying it is poor. A better rapport is needed," he added.

"It is a big responsibility and I want to assure people that we will put in our best efforts in our work," he added.

Speaking on the issue of the safety of women in the capital, Neeraj Kumar said that he disagreed with the infamous tag of the country's "rape capital" for Delhi.

“In almost 95 percent of the cases, the crime (rape) is committed by the next of kin. So, this perception of rape capital needs to be changed,” he said.

Kumar, a 1976 batch Indian Police Service officer succeeded B.K. Gupta, who retired Saturday after over 37 years of service. Neeraj Kumar was earlier the director general of Delhi prisons.

Before joining the prisons department, Kumar was posted as Special Commissioner of Police (headquarters), Delhi Police, and was in charge of overall security arrangement for the 2010

Commonwealth Games.

The outgoing commissioner said that he was "satisfied with his tenure" as police chief and urged senior officialsas well as Delhi residents to have consideration for the police personnel as

they work in tiring conditions to keep the city safe.

"Standing under the sun at 45 degrees for hours is a tough job... they are the real heroes," Gupta told reporters here adding that it was due to the hardworking policemen that the city had

better law and order situation compared to other places

Gupta, who retired Saturday, had succeeded Y.S. Dadwal as the capital's police chief Nov 10, 2010.