Delhi Police
Delhi Police Commissioner, Amulya PatnaikDelhi Police

Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik has issued directions to all district police heads to start patrolling around religious places like temples, churches, mosques, etc between 4 am and 6 am every day.

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During a recent meeting with officers at the police headquarters, Patnaik gave directions about this exercise called the "good morning patrolling." As per the exercise, patrolling staff from the different police stations will visit "temples, churches, mosques, etc, to remove any objectionable thing, like beef or pork" from the vicinity, The Indian Express reported.

Patnaik told the district Deputy Commissioners of Police that this move will ensure that no tensions take place in the city.

Patnaik has also told the district heads that this exercise will also keep "miscreants" away from causing any damage to these prayer venues and starting riots.

According to police sources, Patnaik planned this move after instances of meat being found in or around religious places. On November 5, 2014, a slaughtered pig was found inside a mosque in Okhla, while animal meat was found near a temple in Sarita Vihar in 2015.

Besides preventing miscreants from sparking riots, the patrolling will also reduce burglaries, vandalism and other crimes, which usually take place during the early hours of the day.

The DCPs have been asked to prepare a schedule for the morning patrolling and instruct the staff in the 13 police districts and 165 police stations, about the new initiative.