New Delhi, January 18
As CCTV cameras provide vital clues during the investigation of crimes, including the December 16 gangrape case, the Delhi Police plans to install close to 4,000 of these devices across 28 markets and 10 border check posts.

Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar at the annual press conference of the Delhi Police held here today said the number of telephone lines for the helpline, '100', has been increased from 60 to 100. The police has identified 1,600 "dark stretches" in the city and have written to the Delhi government about the matter.

The police has identified 218 paying guest accommodations and private hostels for women that will be become security-oriented.

Kumar said, "The footage of a CCTV camera installed at a guest-house in the Mahipalpur area helped us solve the Delhi gangrape case."

In the first phase, CCTV cameras have been installed at 25 markets and four border check posts. "In the second phase we will install CCTV cameras at 28 more markets and 10 border check posts. We have already placed 1,337 cameras and the installation of 3,975 cameras is under process," said Kumar.

Last year, 2,90,075 vehicles have been prosecuted for having tinted windows. The chartered bus in which the woman was allegedly gangraped also had tinted windows and curtains. He added that buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation must have GPS system.

Besides, the police while considering the safety of senior citizens living in Delhi has issued 12,812 identity (ID) cards for them. The ID card has a photograph of the person with the blood group and emergency contact number, among other details.

He said 5,284 children went missing last year. Out of this figure, 4,051 have been traced. "Investigation in cases of kidnapping of children was being hampered due to absence of photographs. We have a scheme called "Pehchaan", where we take a photograph of a child with the family. A copy of the photograph is given to the family and one is kept with us. 64,055 children have been photographs under this scheme," said Kumar.

New Delhi, January 18
A spell of heavy rain and hailstorm lashed the national capital today, throwing traffic out of gear in many areas and bringing back the problem of waterlogging at 16 places. Sky was cloudy throughout the day.

The rain started around 11 pm last evening and continued throughout the night and whole day today. The hailstorm has lashed the capital early morning.

The total rain was measured as 21 mm. The heavy rains resulted waterlogging at Sarai Julena, Lajpat Nagar, GK-1 W-Point, 12-Pula Lajpat Nagar Fly Over, opposite Gurdwara Gautam Nagar, Nizamuddin to Ashram, Delhi Gate, Bhagirath Place, Chandni Chowk, Jahangirpuri, Narayna metro station, West Patel Nagar, Som Bazar Chowk Najafgarh, Dhasa bus stand in Najafgarh, Swatantra Nagar at Narela, Nehru Place, Chirag Dilli and Vikaspuri.

The shower slowed down the vehicular movement in the city, which had received light rains last morning. Traffic movement was affected in several areas, including ITO, Vikas Marg and South Extension, Julena to Okhla Mor, Ashram to Nizamuddin, Nehru Place, Britannia Chowk, etc.

The minimum temperature rose to 11.3° C, four degrees above normal and up from yesterday's 9.7° C.

The weatherman has predicted more rains and thunderstorm in the capital tomorrow.

New Delhi, January 18
The day-long hunger strike and protest demonstration observed by Sambhavna Trust (a group representing the disabled section of Delhi University) today at the Vice-Chancellor's (VC) office witnessed a participation of many disabled teachers, students, karamcharis as well as members of the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) Executive who had given a call to join the demonstration.

On January 8, about 250 disabled students (including a large number of girls), teachers and employees had assembled outside the VC office against "deceptive" announcements of facilities for disabled students and their failure to meet various legal provisions for them.

Last evening, the Registrar again issued statements listing the host of schemes and facilities it had introduced for disabled students, which also met with further ire.

"We want the VC to accept our, at least, two demands. We want the university to constitute an empowered committee for preparing a time-bound action plan for the redressal of our grievances. We wanted the university to announce a date of a disability summit," said a member of Sambhavna Trust.

This action programme was observed successfully despite several shocking measures of intimidation and harassment employed by the university administration to prevent it from taking place. Members of the trust also filed a police complaint against security in charge of the university Gaje Singh who threatened and abused an escort for a visually impaired teacher who had come to join in the demonstration," said a senior DUTA executive today.

"The university's bogus claims of adequately catering to the needs of the disabled are belied by the massive turnout of protestors, 27 of whom sat for the day-long hunger strike. Dissatisfaction is rife among disabled as the university is seen to be merely making tall claims, like the one of sending disabled students on foreign trips, while it has repeatedly failed to deliver on the basic and necessary demands of the disabled," said Aditya Narayan Mishra, DUTA president.

"The university must take immediate steps to constitute an empowered committee to look into their demands and organize a disabled summit at the earliest to allow students, teachers and karamcharis from the disabled section to share their experiences and opinions with the larger university community," he added.