The Delhi Police on Monday said it has arrested at least 22 people for allegedly obstructing police personnel, assaulting them, and blocking traffic during a protest at India Gate against rising air pollution levels in the capital, news agency PTI reported.
Two separate first information reports (FIRs) have been registered — one at the Sansad Marg Police Station and another at the Kartavya Path Police Station — under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to outraging the modesty of women.
According to the police, the protest took a violent turn on Sunday when some demonstrators allegedly used pepper spray on police personnel while being removed from the site, PTI reported.
“The situation then turned into a scuffle, and some protesters used pepper spray on our personnel, which is unusual and rare,” an officer said.
He added that at least 22 protesters have been arrested so far and were produced before court on Monday.
The officer also stressed that India Gate is not a designated protest venue.
“The protesters were asked to leave. Jantar Mantar is the designated protest site, and anyone can demonstrate there after obtaining permission. On Sunday, the protesters blocked the C-Hexagon after jumping police barricades. They sat on the road for over an hour, and even people stuck in the traffic jam were requesting them to clear the way,” he said.
The officer further alleged that the protesters misbehaved with police teams, assaulted personnel, and “some even used pepper spray” when asked to disperse.
“Many police personnel sustained injuries during the scuffle and were rushed to RML Hospital for treatment. We are investigating the entire matter and checking CCTV footage to identify everyone involved,” the officer added.
Responding to claims that some demonstrators raised slogans in support of Maoist leader Madvi Hidma, the officer said the matter is being examined from all angles.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the Delhi Coordination Committee for Clean Air said the city’s deteriorating air quality has become a “serious risk” to public health and alleged that authorities have failed to address the root causes of pollution, PTI reported.
The committee further claimed that air quality has remained in the “severe” category, while the government continues to rely on “cosmetic measures” such as water sprinklers, cloud seeding, and spraying near AQI monitoring stations, instead of developing long-term, sustainable solutions.
(With PTI inputs)