NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has registered 10 FIRs in connection with the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest on Monday that saw clashes between protesters and the police, officials said on Wednesday.
A senior Delhi Police officer said that one of the FIRs was registered at the Parliament Street police station against unidentified persons. The charges relate to assaulting public servants on duty, obstructing government work and other relevant offences.
On late Wednesday evening, the police claimed that a fresh stone-pelting incident was reported that injured an assistant commissioner of police (ACP).
“At around 4.30 pm, Jai Prakash, ACP Punjabi Bagh, sustained a forehead injury at Jantar Mantar after being struck by a stone during alleged stone-pelting by protesters while he was performing law and order duties. He was shifted to a hospital for treatment,” the police said.
According to police, a scuffle occurred around 10pm on Tuesday at the Tolstoy Marg–Parliament Street intersection during a shift change of Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel. As a large group of protesters gathered at the junction raising slogans, some RAF personnel attempted to cross the road and were allegedly attacked by members of the crowd.
A video of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, purportedly shows two RAF personnel being assaulted. One of them falls to the ground and is allegedly kicked and punched by several people before a few individuals intervene and help move the injured personnel to safety. Police said they are examining viral videos, CCTV footage and other electronic evidence to identify those involved in the assault.
Talking about the security arrangements, the police said that every person arriving at the site is being monitored. If any suspect is detected, an immediate alert is sent to senior officers for quick verification.
Police have seized footage from several CCTV cameras and drones installed around Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place and Regal Cinema. Officials are using facial recognition technology to shortlist the identities of suspected rioters.
The police are also continuously monitoring social media platforms and issuing clarification if any fake or unverified news is being circulated. Security remained tight in and around Jantar Mantar on Wednesday as the protest continued, with police urging demonstrators to maintain peace, ignore rumours and refrain from sharing unverified information on social media.
Police had detained around 70 protesters after Monday’s clashes, but all were released after questioning. Police are also probing whether the clashes during Parliament march were part of a pre-planned conspiracy and if the crowd had been instigated in advance.
Delhi Police has meanwhile directed all its personnel deployed at Jantar Mantar to be in uniform, citing several videos that went viral on social media in which some young men in plain clothes were seen using batons and force against protesters.
Social media under constant police monitoring
Police are monitoring social media platforms and issuing clarification if any fake or unverified news is being circulated. Security remained tight in and around Jantar Mantar on Wednesday as the protest continued, with police urging demonstrators to maintain peace, ignore rumours and refrain from sharing unverified information on social media.
