Delhi Police has arrested four men who allegedly assaulted students and misbehaved with women during a protest on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg in central Delhi, after a video of the incident circulated widely on social media. The accused reportedly identify themselves as members of the right-wing Hindu Raksha Dal organisation.
The arrests followed the circulation of footage showing men allegedly attacking young students and pushing and hitting women on a stretch of road under the jurisdiction of Kamla Market police station. A police personnel is also visible in the video, according to the report. Police took suo motu action after the footage came to light, even though no formal complaint had been filed in connection with the incident.
A senior police officer identified the arrested men as Raman Saini, 50, Vivekanand alias Vivek, 32, Kapil Kumar, 27, and Ravinder Singh alias Govind Hindu, 35. The police action came a day after the alleged video began spreading through social media groups.
The incident took place during protests linked to the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, and opposition to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The report said large numbers of people were being detained as students attempted to gather at different locations in the capital. Police had intensified security arrangements in Delhi amid the demonstrations.
According to police sources, the location shown in the video was not immediately established when the footage first began circulating. The site was later identified during checks carried out by security personnel deployed across the city as part of protest-related security arrangements. Police also received intelligence suggesting that those involved might attempt to leave Delhi-NCR to avoid action.
The police said the arrests were made after the video and intelligence inputs enabled them to trace the four men. The action highlights how publicly circulated footage can trigger police intervention even when no formal complaint has been submitted, although the allegations shown in the video will remain subject to investigation and due legal process.
The footage was widely shared by accounts associated with political organisations and public figures, including the Indian Youth Congress, the All India Students’ Association and CJP-linked accounts. The report said the incident occurred against the backdrop of police action on 10 October against demonstrators who had gathered in different parts of Delhi, with thousands reportedly detained during the protests.
The immediate next step is the investigation into the alleged assaults, the identities and roles of those seen in the footage, and the circumstances surrounding the presence of police personnel at the location. The four men will face the legal process following their arrests.
