A marching contingent of the Delhi Police during the 73rd Raising Day Parade at the Kingsway Camp in New Delhi (Express photo: Prem Nath Pandey)

The Delhi Police, one of the leading metropolitan police forces in the country, celebrated its 73rd Raising Day on Sunday.

The event was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and his Puducherry counterpart Kiran Bedi, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, and top officials from other agencies.

Its history dates back to the 12th century when one Malikul Umara Faqruddin was made first Kotwal. The Delhi Police, however, was organised by the British after the 1857 war of freedom and later adopted the Indian Police Act of 1861.

Subsequently, the police force remained a part of the Punjab Police despite Delhi becoming the capital of the nation in 1912.

In the same year, it saw the appointment of its first Chief Commissioner, who was vested with the powers equivalent to that of an Inspector General of Police.

In 1946, the Delhi Police witnessed a complete overhaul when its strength was doubled. In the coming years, with a large influx of population coming in the city in the wake of partition, the city’s IGP was appointed.

Keeping in the mind the problems faced by the force, the Government of India in 1966 appointed a commission headed by Justice G.D Khosla, which led to another rejig in the structure.

Based on the Khosla Commission report, four police districts–North, Central, South and New Delhi–were constituted. It also recommended the introduction of the Police Commissioner System, which was eventually adopted from July 1, 1978.

As per the information provided on the police force website, the current sanctioned strength of Delhi Police is 83,762.