New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) As the Delhi Police came under fire for unleashing “brutal action” against protestors during a march led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to the Parliament, the police personnel who themselves sustained injuries during the violent protest, on Tuesday alleged that some unruly elements had mixed with the agitators and were responsible for defying orders, pelting stones at the police and vandalising vehicles.
Speaking to IANS, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Anand Kumar Mishra said that while it is a person’s constitutional right to protest, it is necessary to exercise that right in accordance with the law.
“When we received information through social media about the proposed protest, we repeatedly contacted the organisers and asked them to share their blueprint, including the expected number of participants, the route, and other details. However, they did not provide any information. Yesterday, they suddenly began marching according to their own plan,” he said.
Mishra added: “Anticipating this, we had made elaborate security arrangements. A large number of senior officers and police personnel were deployed to ensure that participants remained safe while also protecting vital installations such as the Parliament. We also had to ensure that traffic movement and the functioning of nearby offices were not disrupted.”
The Additional DCP alleged that during the march, “some unruly elements with a different agenda turned violent”.
“They broke barricades, damaged private and police vehicles, assaulted police personnel, pulled officers into the crowd, tore their uniforms, brought sticks, and attacked our staff. Despite exercising maximum restraint and repeatedly announcing that the march was illegal and asking them to stop, they refused to comply. Some elements resorted to stone-pelting, in which I was also injured. Around 100 to 150 people sustained injuries,” he stated.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Datta Barade, who sustained injuries on his head during the protest, described that the crowd had swelled to nearly 10,000 people.
“We tried to stop them and repeatedly informed them that prohibitory orders were in force and that legal action would be taken against anyone violating them. Senior police officers, as well as we, tried to persuade them, but they did not listen. They forcibly broke through the first barricade and moved ahead. They also broke the next barricade, after which they reached near the Parliament. We again made every effort to stop and convince them, but they started pelting stones at the police,” he told IANS.
Barade added that he, along with his fellow police personnel and even senior officers, were injured as the agitators tried to break barricades and pelted stones.
“One of those stones hit me on the head. After that, I was taken to RML hospital in a PCR van,” he said.
Moreover, he too alleged: “There might be some anti-social elements among the crowd who defied orders of the police and pelted stones. They were not even ready to listen to the CJP members.”
Delhi Police officer Naveen Ola echoed, saying, “The crowd became unruly, and we sustained injuries while trying to control the situation, including ensuring the safety of the children and women present there. They started pelting stones at us, and I suffered a head injury.”
“We were sent to the RML hospital for treatment, where the Police Commissioner also came to meet us,” he added.
–IANS
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