Several people who said they were returning from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar have alleged that Delhi Police detained them, checked their mobile phones, collected personal details and questioned them for hours as part of an exercise to identify those involved in the July 20 violence.
Speaking to The Observer Post on condition of anonymity, one protester said he and others were stopped while returning home and taken to Shaheen Bagh police station despite not being present during the violence that took place on July 20.
“We were returning from the protest when the police stopped us. They checked our phones, looked through WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media accounts. Some people’s phones were even taken away,” he said.
According to him, the group was made to sit at the police station for nearly two hours before being asked to fill out forms containing their personal information.
“The police told us they were collecting our data to cross-check whether anyone among us was involved in the violence on July 20. They said if our names appeared during the investigation, we would be called again,” he claimed.
The protester, who works in a private job and is pursuing an MBA from Jamia Millia Islamia, said he had joined the demonstration because he was also affected by alleged irregularities in exams conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
“I went to the protest because I am also a student. My examination is conducted by the NTA, so I wanted to express my concerns. We stayed there for around one-and-a-half hours and were returning home when we were stopped,” he said.
He further alleged that police reviewed photographs and videos stored on protesters’ phones before detaining them.
“They saw photos and videos related to the protest. Even people who were simply coming or going near the area were being picked up,” he alleged.
The student said the detention created fear among protesters.
“There is definitely pressure. They took our photographs and details and told us to report whenever they call us. It creates fear because anyone can now worry that their name might be linked to the case,” he said.
Another protester, who also requested anonymity, said he was stopped despite only returning from the protest.
“We were not present on July 20 when the violence happened. The police said they were only cross-checking whether any of us were involved,” he said.
He claimed that many of those detained were from Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Nagar and Okhla and felt that Muslims were being disproportionately targeted.
“It seems that Muslims are being targeted more. Detaining people like this also creates fear among others who may want to participate in future protests,” he alleged.
Lawyer Questions Detentions
Advocate Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, who visited Shaheen Bagh police station after receiving information about the detentions, claimed that around 25 to 30 people had been brought there from different locations, including Jamia, Okhla and Shaheen Bagh.
“When I asked why they had been detained, the police said they were verifying their documents for their own benefit after receiving instructions. Many of those detained were simply walking through the area,” he claimed.
Sharif alleged that police examined mobile phones and collected detailed personal information from those detained.
“In my opinion, the purpose appears to be to create fear so that fewer people participate in the protests. From a legal perspective, if someone is peacefully participating in a democratic protest, such treatment raises serious questions,” he said.
He also claimed that most of those detained appeared to be Muslims, though he said he could not verify the identity of every individual present at the police station.
Delhi Police has not issued an official statement specifically responding to these allegations. Police have previously said that they are identifying those involved in the July 20 violence through CCTV footage, mobile videos and other technical evidence, and that the exercise is aimed at tracing those responsible for attacks on police personnel and damage to public property.
