Right-wing group members assault protesters amid heavy police presence

NEW DELHI

Amid mass detentions ahead of a planned youth-led demonstration on Saturday, a group of right-wing men gathered at Indira Chowk in Connaught Place, chasing and allegedly assaulting protesters demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Security personnel remained deployed in the area to manage the protest against the suspension of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as the men shouted slogans and targeted demonstrators.

The gathering took place despite prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) being in force in the area. Several men, who identified themselves as members of the Hanuman Sena Delhi, were seen heckling, abusing, and slapping demonstrators.

The confrontations unfolded barely 50 metres from where police personnel stood at the entrance to Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Members of the group engaged protesters in physical and verbal altercations, chased them along the inner circle of Connaught Place, and issued threats.

When asked about the lack of intervention, one on-duty officer replied, “We are seeing what can be done.” Another officer declined to comment.

The crowd of about 200 men raised slogans backing the police action — “Delhi Police lath bajao, hum tumhare saath hain” (Delhi Police, use your batons; we are with you) — with some calling for violence against the protesters and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Videos shared

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) shared a video showing a young woman being assaulted and knocked to the ground, tagging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ask who gave the men the right to attack young protesters. “Amit Shah ji, who gave these thugs the right to lay hands on Gen Z? Your these thugs will become the final nail in the coffin of the Modi government’s end, remember that,” the party posted on its official X handle.

In another social media video, a protester was chased and assaulted by a man apparently holding a metal knuckle, sustaining multiple wounds to his back while police personnel stood by.

Protesters alleged that, in some instances, police personnel and right-wing members pursued demonstrators together, raising serious questions about the law enforcement response.