Delhi Police arrested four men on October 11 after a video circulated showing a male protester being assaulted and a woman being physically attacked during a demonstration on DDU Marg in central Delhi. The arrests followed widespread criticism of the alleged assault and the conduct of police personnel visible at the scene.
The incident took place on October 10 during a protest linked to demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The demonstration had been called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), but Delhi Police had denied permission for the gathering, citing the timing of the application, alleged non-compliance with conditions imposed during an earlier protest, and concerns over traffic and law and order.
The four arrested men were identified as Raman Saini, 50, of Pahari Dheeraj in Delhi; Vivek, also known as Vivekanand, 32, of Nangloi; Kapil Kumar, 27, of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh; and Ravinder Singh, also known as Govind Hindu, 35, of Indirapuram in Ghaziabad. The arrests were made by the Kamla Market police station after it took suo motu cognisance of the video, according to the report.
The footage appeared to show the men approaching and assaulting a male protester. When a young woman moved towards the scene, the men allegedly threw her to the ground, after which one of them appeared to attack her. Police personnel subsequently intervened. The video also appeared to show two policemen holding the men by their shoulders and walking them away, prompting criticism that the response was not sufficiently firm or immediate.
A senior Central district police official said allegations that police had failed to take appropriate action during the incident were also being examined. The official said a case would be registered and action would be taken accordingly. The police response is now part of the inquiry alongside the alleged assault, making the incident a test of how authorities manage unauthorised demonstrations and protect participants during crowd-control operations.
Hindu Raksha Dal president Pinky Chaudhary later said the accused were members of his organisation and described them as his workers. In social media statements, he called them his “warriors” and said the organisation would protect them. His remarks brought the alleged attackers’ organisational affiliation into focus after the arrests.
The arrests also drew reactions from political organisations. The Aam Aadmi Party criticised the alleged assault and questioned the deployment and conduct of male police personnel during the handling of women protesters. The CJP condemned the incident and alleged that the assault took place in the presence of police. These claims and the police conduct shown in the video remain subject to the investigation announced by Delhi Police.
Security restrictions had been imposed in the New Delhi district on October 10, and police detained people as part of measures to prevent the unauthorised gathering. The police investigation will now determine the charges and examine the conduct of personnel present at the scene.
