5 sent to judicial custody after anti-pollution protest turn violent

A Delhi court on Monday remanded five people, arrested in connection with an anti-pollution protest that turned violent, to two days of judicial custody. The court also directed that one of the accused be sent to a safe house pending verification of his age, as he claimed to be a minor.

The court further instructed the police to submit copies of the videos related to the incident.

At least 22 people were arrested after a protest against the alarming pollution levels in the national capital near the iconic India Gate escalated when demonstrators allegedly used pepper spray on police officers who were attempting to clear them from the road, officials said on Monday.

Two First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered in the New Delhi district. The first FIR was lodged at the Kartavya Path Police Station, where six male protesters were booked under BNS sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 79 (insulting the modesty of a woman), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 132 (assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant to prevent the discharge of duty), 221 (voluntarily obstructing a public servant), 223, and 61(2).

Meanwhile, the second FIR was registered at Sansad Marg Police Station, in which other protesters were under sections 223A, 132, 221, 121A, 126(2), and 3(5) of the BNS.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla said some protesters had gathered on Sunday near India gate.

“When they were asked to disperse and move to Jantar Mantar — which has the required permissions for demonstrations — they broke through the police barricades placed to facilitate public movement. As traffic congestion began, the police requested them to move to the roadside. They did not listen and started violence with and even used chilli spray on the police, which was never a case in the previous protests. This matter was taken seriously and these people have been arrested,” the DCP added.

On being asked about the posters associated with the Naxalite Madvi Hidma during the protest, he said legal action would be taken in the matter. "Yes, it has been found to be true, and we are investigating it. We have registered an FIR in this regard. We are taking legal action in this matter," the official mentioned.

Hidma, a CPI (M) central committee member and the secretary of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, was killed on November 18 along with his wife, Rajje, and four other Maoists in the Maredumilli forests of Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district.