The drive, conducted on Friday night, targeted bootleggers, drug peddlers, gamblers, and habitual offenders across crime hotspots. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Hemant Tiwari said the arrests were made under the Excise Act, NDPS Act, Gambling Act, and Arms Act.
Police also took preventive action against 504 people and detained 116 known bad characters. Ten property offenders and five auto-lifters were among those nabbed.
Recoveries included 21 country-made pistols, 20 live cartridges, 27 knives, 12,258 quarters of illicit liquor, 6.01 kg of ganja, and ā¹2,30,990 in cash from gamblers. Additionally, 310 stolen mobile phones, 231 two-wheelers, and one four-wheeler were seized or recovered.
Over 1,306 suspects were stopped and questioned during the coordinated raids and patrols, officials said.
Operation Aaghat is a recurring special drive by Delhi Police, often intensified before festivals and New Year to preempt crime spikes. The first phase in September 2025 led to over 70 arrests and weapon seizures in the same district. October's Aaghat 2.0 resulted in more than 500 detentions, including significant hauls of arms and contraband.
Tiwari described the latest phase as part of a zero-tolerance policy to bolster law and order. Similar operations have expanded to other districts, with southern Delhi reporting hundreds more arrests in parallel drives.
Authorities vowed to sustain such enforcement through the festive season to ensure public safety.
