‘Broke nameplates, snatched caps’: Delhi cops claim assault during protests, DCP says youth under ‘wrongful influence’
Here's the latest protest news from across India:
Delhi Police personnel have alleged that they were physically assaulted while trying to maintain law and order and enforce restrictions during an Opposition protest against chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Several officers claimed they were pushed, kicked and attacked while detaining peaceful demonstrators. Track live updates
Adding to this, Several police personnel described their experiences during India bloc's protest in Delhi. (ANI/PTI) The allegations came after Delhi Police forcefully detained Opposition MPs, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi , for staging a protest demanding the resignation of the CEC over mishandling of the voting system and revision of electoral rolls.
Meanwhile, Constable Devender Sandhu shared police personnel were calmly asking protesters to leave the restricted area and board police buses when some demonstrators allegedly began pulling and pushing officers.
Notably, "We were peacefully explaining to them, under protection, that the curfew of 163 is in effect here, Please leave," Sandhu told ANI. He added that officers were asking protesters to sit in the buses and claimed they were handling the situation calmly.
As per the latest buzz, According to Sandhu, the confrontation escalated when protesters allegedly broke the officers' nameplates and snatched their caps. "They broke our nameplates first, then they snatched the caps off our heads and threw them away," he shared, alleging that police personnel were subsequently pulled from behind and pushed to the ground.
In further updates, Sandhu shared he suffered injuries to his waist and the back of his head. He maintained that police had not used force against the protesters and were only carrying out detentions.
On top of that, "I was hurt quite a bit; I also got a deep injury on my waist and here on the back of my head," he shared. Sandhu alleged that officers "didn't hit anyone there" and were detaining protesters peacefully before the confrontation began.
Delhi Police DCP Shrishti Pandey on Thursday shared the alleged targeting of police personnel during protests was a matter of concern and claimed that "some form of wrongful influence" was leading young people towards such behaviour.
Source: Hindustan Times