Delhi Police are facing questions over their response to alleged assaults, harassment and intimidation by right-wing groups during protests in the capital on October 10, after journalists, activists and public figures reported incidents involving young demonstrators and women.
Accounts shared by filmmaker Onir, scientist and poet Gauhar Raza, journalist Mandeep Punia and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair alleged that groups of men targeted protesters in several parts of Delhi while police and paramilitary personnel were present.
The allegations have raised questions about whether authorities acted adequately to protect demonstrators and prevent violence during the crackdown on protests organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and others demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The accounts also alleged that some groups appeared to target people who had become separated from larger gatherings, particularly young protesters and women. These claims have not been independently verified in their entirety.
Four Men Arrested Over Alleged Assaults
According to the account provided, Delhi Police arrested four men following the circulation of videos and reports alleging assaults on protesters. They were identified as Raman Saini, 50, Vivekanand alias Vivek, 32, Kapil Kumar, 27, and Ravinder Singh alias Govind Hindu, 35.
The four reportedly claimed to be members of the Hindu Raksha Dal, a right-wing organisation. The circumstances of the alleged assaults and the specific allegations against each man require verification through police records and investigation findings.
The arrests came amid broader allegations that men associated with right-wing groups were allowed to confront protesters without facing immediate police intervention.
Onir Shares Account of Protesters Allegedly Attacked After Release
Filmmaker Onir shared a message he said he had received from a protester detained by Delhi Police. The message alleged that a group of detainees was taken on a bus journey lasting around one-and-a-half hours before being transported towards the outskirts of the capital.
According to the account, the group was initially told that they would be released near a Delhi border. After protesters raised slogans, the bus allegedly moved to another location.
The message further claimed that detainees were eventually dropped in an isolated area, where men described by the writer as “Bajrang” members appeared and threatened and assaulted them.
“Some uncles also arrived with rods and nails,” the message said, alleging that the group had been vulnerable to attack after being released.
The account also described the conduct of police personnel present at the scene, claiming that some appeared uncomfortable while others seemed prepared to use force against the detainees.
The allegations raise questions about the circumstances in which detained protesters were released and whether authorities took adequate precautions to protect them. The message alone does not establish coordination between police and the alleged attackers.
Gauhar Raza Says Women Sought Help After Alleged Attacks
Scientist and poet Gauhar Raza and activist Shabnam Hashmi were present at Connaught Place during the protests, according to an account shared by Raza.
He said a woman, whom he believed to be a journalist, approached them in a distressed state, alleging that she had been beaten and molested by a group of men.
Raza said that before he could respond, police personnel intervened and pushed the woman into a bus.
He also described groups of men who allegedly defended the SIR process and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar while confronting or abusing protesters.
According to Raza, another woman approached the couple as they were leaving after spending around two-and-a-half hours in the area. She too reportedly said she had been assaulted.
Raza alleged that a group of around 100 men had arrived in Connaught Place in a bus and targeted protesters. The number of men involved and the details of the alleged assaults could not be independently confirmed from the account provided.
Journalist Alleges Vigilantes Targeted Young Protesters
Journalist Mandeep Punia also alleged that groups of men had arrived in buses from Ghaziabad, Loni and Bulandshahr.
According to Punia, the men shouted slogans in support of Delhi Police and targeted young women and men whom they appeared to consider vulnerable or less aggressive.
He alleged that the groups became more aggressive when security personnel were nearby, while police and paramilitary forces did not intervene effectively.
Fact-checker Mohammed Zubair made similar allegations about the situation in Connaught Place.
“Right-wing goons kept surrounding the protesters all day. They kept hurling abuses. They even beat people up, but the police and paramilitary forces took no action against them,” Zubair wrote.
These accounts describe alleged violence in the presence of security personnel, but independent verification of individual incidents and the police response remains necessary.
Questions Over Police Accountability
The allegations have intensified scrutiny of Delhi Police’s handling of the October 10 demonstrations, during which thousands of people were reportedly detained at multiple locations across the capital.
While police arrested four men accused of involvement in assaults, questions remain over whether officers adequately responded to reports of violence, protected vulnerable protesters and investigated complaints of molestation and intimidation.
The accounts shared by journalists and public figures also point to the need for authorities to establish where the alleged assaults took place, whether complaints were formally registered, and whether CCTV footage and other evidence were examined.
Delhi Police’s response to the specific allegations detailed in these accounts was not included in the material provided.
