Delhi Police personnel have raised concerns about their safety and dignity after alleged assaults during recent INDIA bloc protests in New Delhi, with police officials and personnel describing physical attacks, damage to uniforms and identity badges, and difficulties in obtaining medical attention while continuing their duties.
The concerns followed incidents reported during demonstrations in central Delhi, including the Ashoka Road and Windsor Place areas. A video circulated on social media reportedly showed two police personnel being dragged and kicked during a protest. The source attributed the accounts to police personnel who were deployed at the demonstrations and to comments carried by ANI.
One police officer questioned how the rights of personnel are protected when the right to protest is invoked by demonstrators. Another head constable, identified as Bhupender Ahlawat, said a crowd attacked him from behind after he detained some protesters. He said his cap was thrown away and his nameplate was broken.
Ahlawat also described the personal impact of the incident, saying that his family saw the video and became concerned about whether he had been injured. He said he initially told his wife that nothing had happened before she watched the footage again and recognised him in it.
Women police personnel deployed at the protests described additional difficulties during the detention of women demonstrators. A woman sub-inspector stationed in the Windsor Place area said male protesters allegedly intervened when female officers attempted to take women into custody, leading to arguments and physical confrontation. Several women personnel also alleged that they were spat on, physically assaulted and had their badges or nameplates pulled off.
The report also raised questions about the equipment available to officers at the initial deployment. A senior officer said the police had assessed the demonstration as peaceful at the outset, and that riot-control equipment is generally used when there is an apprehension of stone-pelting or other violence. The explanation points to the operational challenge of calibrating police deployment when a protest changes rapidly from a controlled gathering into a confrontation.
The reported incidents took place amid heightened security arrangements in central Delhi. Earlier coverage cited in the report said that police and paramilitary forces had been deployed in large numbers around Connaught Place during demonstrations, with roads closed or restricted. The protests were linked to the INDIA bloc and included the participation of opposition leaders, according to the source.
A woman constable quoted in the report said personnel often do not have sufficient time to visit a doctor because of daily duty requirements. She said that despite feeling unwell or distressed, she continued to report for duty. Her account highlights the immediate operational consequences of injuries and alleged mistreatment during extended law-and-order deployments.
The report does not provide details of any specific police complaint, arrest or departmental inquiry arising from the alleged assaults. It also does not establish the identity of the people seen in the circulated footage. The immediate issue before the authorities is the protection of personnel and the management of future demonstrations while maintaining lawful space for public protest.
