Ahead of New Year, Delhi Police Arrest 285, Seize Weapons and Drugs in ‘Operation Aaghat 3.0’

Operation Aaghat 3.0 Signals Zero-Tolerance as Delhi Gears Up for New Year Celebrations

A head of the New Year celebrations, Delhi Police launched an aggressive, citywide security offensive under “Operation Aaghat 3.0”, carrying out an extensive overnight crackdown between December 26 and 27, 2025, to pre-empt crime, dismantle criminal networks, and ensure public safety as the national capital braces for massive crowds. 

Spearheaded mainly by the South-East Delhi district police, the coordinated operation targeted crime hotspots, habitual offenders, illegal arms dealers, drug peddlers, bootleggers, and gambling rackets, resulting in 285 arrests under the Arms Act, NDPS Act, Excise Act, and Gambling Act, while 504 individuals were taken into preventive custody and 1,306 people were rounded up for questioning and precautionary checks. Police also detained 116 listed “bad characters”, marking one of the most intensive pre-festive enforcement drives in recent months. 

The scale of recoveries underlined the seriousness of the threat neutralised, with officers seizing 21 country-made pistols, 20 live cartridges, 27 knives, 6.01 kilograms of ganja, and a staggering 12,258 quarters of illicit liquor, along with over RS.2.30 lakh in cash linked to illegal gambling operations. In addition, 310 stolen or snatched mobile phones and 232 vehicles, including two-wheelers and a car, were recovered. The operation is part of a larger multi-phase crime-control strategy, following Aaghat 1.0 in September and Aaghat 2.0 in October, aimed at striking criminal networks before they exploit the festive rush.

During the same period, a brief gunfight in the Narela area further underscored the heightened alert, as two wanted criminals opened fire on police and were shot in the legs during retaliatory action before being arrested. With New Year’s Eve approaching, Delhi Police have intensified patrolling, erected special pickets, and warned of strict enforcement, urging citizens to cooperate, expect random checks and traffic diversions in key nightlife zones, and celebrate responsibly as authorities maintain a tight security grip across the capital.