After surviving an attempt on his life for demanding accountability on Delhi’s safety, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal remains steadfast on his clarion call. On Sunday, the AAP Supremo visited traders who are victims of two recent shootings in the Tilak Nagar market, renewing his call to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to urgently address the rising tide of crime in the national capital.
During the media interaction after his visit, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated, “We are currently standing in the bustling market of Tilaknagar, right in front of Singla Sweets. This market is extremely busy, as you can see from the hustle and bustle around. A few months ago, an incident occurred here when two individuals on a motorcycle arrived and started firing bullets at Singla Sweets.”
The AAP Supremo further elaborated on the incident, revealing that a few days before the shooting, the owner of Singla Sweets had received a threatening phone call demanding ₹2 crore as extortion money. The owner reported the matter to the police, and an FIR was filed. Despite this, the shootout took place. “After the incident, the owner received another threatening call, stating, ‘You didn’t pay the money, so you had to face this consequence. Now pay up, or worse can happen to you.’ However, the owner showed courage and has so far refused to comply with the demands,” added the AAP Chief.
Arvind Kejriwal then shifted focus to another alarming incident, involving a car showroom called Fusion, located not far from Singla Sweets. He shared, “One day, a similar incident took place there, where three individuals on a motorcycle fired 22 rounds at the showroom. They left behind a note with the name of a gangster written on it. Two or three days later, the showroom owner received a call demanding ₹5 crore.”
The AAP Chief expressed growing concerns about the frequency of such violent incidents. “Such incidents have become alarmingly common across Delhi. Just two days ago, I visited Nangloi, where a shop owner was targeted with a shootout outside his store,” he pointed out.
Arvind Kejriwal emphasized the alarming number of extortion cases recorded by the police in Delhi, noting that, “This year alone, 160 extortion calls have been officially recorded by the police. These are just the calls that were reported. Often, when businesspeople receive such threats, they are warned not to inform the police, or they would face dire consequences. Out of fear, many comply with the demands without filing a complaint.”
“The 160 calls recorded in police records indicate that, on average, an extortion call is made every other day. Today, businesspeople in Delhi live in fear and anxiety, uncertain when their turn might come,” Kejriwal added. “We have never seen Delhi like this before. Delhiites are peace-loving and value harmony. They want to conduct their businesses peacefully,” he further said.
Arvind Kejriwal also addressed the impact of this rising crime wave on Delhi’s economy, stating, “I have spoken to many people who are now considering relocating their businesses to other states. This situation is unacceptable. If businesses shut down, where will our children go? Some have already closed their businesses and left the city. This will inevitably lead to unemployment.”
The AAP National Convenor went on to pointed out the involvement of young people in these criminal activities. “These gangsters are exploiting teenagers, some as young as 17, by using them as shooters. For amounts as small as ₹10,000–₹20,000, these young individuals are being drawn into such criminal activities. This is creating a vicious cycle. On one hand, businesspeople are living in fear, and on the other, unemployed youth are being pushed into crime,” he said.
Arvind Kejriwal also highlighted the personal threats faced by AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, who had been targeted by gangsters. “Our MLA, Naresh Balyan, received 35–40 death threats from gangsters last year. He filed five written complaints with the police, requesting protection for his family. On one occasion, a gangster called him and revealed his son’s location, threatening, ‘If you don’t comply with our demands, you’ll see what happens to your son.’ Despite being a victim, our MLA was arrested yesterday.”
Arvind Kejriwal expressed his disappointment at this action, saying, “This sends the wrong message—that if you receive threats or face a shootout and dare to report it, you might end up being the one arrested. Victims of such crimes need support, protection, and encouragement so they can stand up without fear. We must end this environment of terror.”
The AAP Chief then made a direct appeal to the Union Home Minister. “We appeal to Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure better law and order in Delhi. As the Home Minister, the responsibility for Delhi’s safety lies with him. We seek no political agendas here—just peace and security for the citizens of Delhi. We sincerely request Amit Shah to take every possible measure to restore peace and security in Delhi,” he said.
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