Officials familiar with the deployment said the decision was taken deliberately to prevent individual personnel from being identified and targeted on social media, according to Hindustan Times (HT). New Delhi: Police personnel deployed at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar during protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation were seen without name tags.
Demonstrations began at Jantar Mantar on Friday, October 1. The police decision on name tags dates back to the experience of personnel during the July 20 Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) march. More than 100 police personnel and over 60 protesters were reported injured. Self-styled influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was later arrested in connection with an alleged assault on a 38-year-old man during the protest. On October 2, around 1,000 people were detained across the city during attempts by student groups and political parties to gather near designated protest site. On October 3, female journalists accused police personnel of sexual harassment during the protest near Jantar Mantar.
Police officers involved in the deployment reportedly told their seniors that some social media influencers were approaching the protest site while presenting themselves as journalists. Officials said some of them were recording police personnel and conducting live sessions that could later be turned into memes. The protests are over allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Hundreds of protesters were detained over the weekend while trying to reach the protest site. Thousands of protesters had tried to march towards Parliament from Jantar Mantar over alleged examination paper leaks and demanded the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The march ended in clashes, with the police using tear gas and baton charges to disperse protesters who breached barricades. The Delhi Police arrested him in Uttar Pradesh in connection with the case. The latest protests at Jantar Mantar have led to tighter security in central Delhi. The police have used barricades and additional personnel to stop demonstrators from reaching restricted areas. The protests continued over the weekend. The Delhi Police Crime Branch has been assigned to examine the allegations. Officers are reviewing CCTV footage and other video material.
