New Delhi, May 5 -- The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi Police to secure all protected monuments and heritage sites in the capital from encroachment and vandalism, underlining the urgent need to preserve these structures.

Acting on a report filed by conservationist and historian Swapna Liddle, which flagged these urgent concerns, a bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N Kotiswar Singh directed the police to act, holding the police commissioner personally liable for ensuring compliance with its orders.

The court said, "We direct the commissioner of police, Delhi, to instruct all local station house officers (SHOs) of areas either protected or falling under category of heritage or places of historical importance to be pro...