From Red Fort blast to railway station stampede, 2025 tests Delhi Police on multiple fronts

The Delhi Police faced one of its most demanding years in 2025, grappling with a series of major security incidents, crowd tragedies, high-profile criminal cases and persistent street crime that tested the force’s operational capacity across the capital.

The year’s gravest incident occurred on November 10, when a car bomb exploded near the Red Fort, killing 15 people and injuring more than a dozen others. The blast shook the densely populated Chandni Chowk–Lal Qila area, leaving the busy heritage zone cordoned off for days.

Following the explosion, the Delhi Police deployed bomb disposal squads and forensic teams, shut the nearby metro station, and secured the area as part of an extensive investigation. While the city police initially led the probe, the case was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Earlier in the year, on February 15, a stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station claimed 18 lives and left 15 others injured. The incident occurred when commuters slipped on a crowded footbridge above platforms 14 and 15 during the early morning hours. The tragedy highlighted long-standing concerns related to infrastructure bottlenecks and crowd management at one of the country’s busiest railway stations.

Security concerns resurfaced on August 20, when Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a Jan Sunwai (public hearing) at her camp office in Civil Lines, north Delhi. The accused, Sakriya Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai, a resident of Gujarat, reportedly breached multiple security layers before assaulting the chief minister.

A special court later framed charges of attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy against Khimjibhai. The incident prompted a review of VIP security arrangements and led to tightened protection for Gupta during public engagements across the city.

In the criminal investigations domain, Delhi Police made a significant arrest in May with the capture of Devender Sharma, a 67-year-old Ayurvedic practitioner-turned-serial killer, known as ‘Doctor Death’. Convicted in multiple murder cases in Delhi and Gurugram, Sharma had jumped parole and was found living as a priest at an ashram in Dausa, Rajasthan. Investigators revealed that Sharma had disposed of his victims by feeding them to crocodiles.

The force was also involved in a high-profile sexual harassment investigation against Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-styled godman formerly associated with a religious organisation and serving as a management committee member at an institute in southwest Delhi. Multiple female students accused him of harassment, leading to a police probe.

Throughout the year, bomb hoaxes targeting schools, hospitals and colleges posed a recurring challenge for Delhi Police. Despite extensive checks, authorities made little progress in identifying the senders. Intelligence units continued to analyse digital patterns, including the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), to trace the anonymous threats.

Street crime incidents also drew attention for their brazenness. In August, Congress MP R Sudha was targeted in a chain-snatching incident in Chanakyapuri, a high-security diplomatic enclave, while on her morning walk. The Delhi Police arrested 24-year-old Sohan Rawat within 48 hours, recovering the 30-gram gold chain and other stolen items. Rawat, a habitual offender out on bail, was found to have 26 criminal cases registered against him.

The episode triggered wider public debate over citizen safety in Delhi, particularly concerning crimes against women and senior citizens.

The year also witnessed swift leadership changes at the top of the Delhi Police. Following the retirement of Commissioner Sanjay Arora, SBK Singh was appointed the 25th Commissioner but was transferred within 21 days to take charge as Director General of Prisons. He was succeeded by Satish Golchha, the then DG Prisons, who became the 26th Commissioner of Delhi Police.

Golchha’s tenure saw a rise in violent police-criminal encounters. One of the most significant occurred on October 23, when four gangsters from Bihar — Ranjan Pathak, Bimlesh Mahto, Manish Pathak and Aman Thakur — were killed in an encounter in Rohini. The men were associated with the Sigma Gang and were wanted in multiple murder cases in Bihar.

Delhi Police also responded to other fatal incidents, including the collapse of a four-storey building in Welcome area of northeast Delhi on July 12, which killed six members of a family, including a two-year-old girl, and injured eight others.

As 2025 draws to a close, Delhi Police reflect on a year marked by intense pressure on crisis response, intelligence gathering, investigative work and public safety management. The force is expected to focus in the coming year on tightening security at critical locations, strengthening urban safety systems and intensifying efforts against organised crime across the capital.

(With inputs from agencies)