The high court order and the actions of the Delhi Police have gone a long way in restoring confidence and creating goodwill among members of all communities, says the rights advocacy group
NEW DELHI — The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has commended Delhi Police and the district administration for maintaining peace and security in the Uttam Nagar area of the national capital during the celebration of religious festivals, including Eid al-Fitr, Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti.
Earlier, on 19 March, the Delhi High Court, on a petition filed by APCR, had issued directions to Delhi Police to undertake all measures to maintain law and order and to create a conducive atmosphere for the peaceful celebration of religious festivals in Uttam Nagar.
A statement issued on Friday, the APCR appreciated the manner in which the high court’s directions were implemented. The measures, according to the statement, included taking local stakeholders into confidence, formation of peace committees, regular flag marches and deployment of adequate security measures to prevent anti-social elements from vitiating the atmosphere.
APCR is a civil rights advocacy group comprising advocates, retired judges, social activists, human rights defenders, journalists, researchers, academics, students, and paralegal volunteers, committed to advancing civil and human rights in the country.
“It is pertinent to note that on the afternoon of 21 March 2026, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, large mobs had gathered on the main road in front of JJ Colony and the Uttam Nagar East metro station, and attempted to create a riot-like situation. However, prompt actions and constant vigilance by Delhi Police, including the detention of several persons attempting to incite unlawful actions, ensured that peace was maintained. At the outset, it seems that the large majority of this mob consisted of persons who had come from other parts of Delhi as well as from outside the state, in response to calls for disrupting Eid celebrations in Uttam Nagar,” the statement noted.
However, it said, locals from all communities in Uttam Nagar cooperated fully with the police and district administration in ensuring the creation of a peaceful atmosphere. “The necessary steps taken by the Delhi Police in preventing anti-social elements from outside the area from entering into Uttam Nagar must also be appreciated in this regard,” the statement said.
These security measures continued to be in place during the celebration of Ram Navami on 26 March, as well as during Hanuman Jayanti on 2 April. Religious processions were carried out on both days in a peaceful and law-abiding manner, taking everyone into confidence and ensuring the maintenance of peace and security in the area, the APCR noted.
“The order passed by the Delhi High Court, as well as the actions of the Delhi Police, have gone a long way in restoring confidence and creating goodwill among members of all communities in Uttam Nagar. In fact, we believe that the manner in which security measures were undertaken and communicated to the general public will serve as a model for dealing with communally sensitive situations by the police and administrative machinery in other parts of the country,” the statement said.
