Police blame protestors as 118 cops injured in CJP march

Delhi Police on Monday alleged that protesters participating in the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Chalo Sansad” march turned “unruly, aggressive and violent”, attacked police personnel, damaged public property and attempted to breach security barricades, leaving more than 118 police personnel injured, including several senior officers

Delhi Police on Monday alleged that protesters participating in the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Chalo Sansad” march turned “unruly, aggressive and violent”, attacked police personnel, damaged public property and attempted to breach security barricades, leaving more than 118 police personnel injured, including several senior officers.

Police said protesters repeatedly violated prohibitory orders despite being warned to disperse (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

In a statement issued after widespread clashes across central Delhi, police said protesters repeatedly violated prohibitory orders despite being warned to disperse.

“During today’s protest, the protesters displayed unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour. Despite repeated warnings and lawful directions issued by the police, they refused to disperse and deliberately violated the prohibitory orders in force,” the statement said.

According to police, protesters hurled stones and other objects at security personnel, attempted to force their way through barricades, vandalised police and other government vehicles, and damaged public property.

“The protesters attacked police personnel with stones and other objects, attempted to breach police barricades, vandalised police and other government vehicles, damaged public property and resorted to large-scale violence, posing a serious threat to public order, the security arrangements in place and the safety of police personnel performing their lawful duties,” the statement added.

Joint commissioner of police (Central Range) Madhur Verma said the march towards Parliament violated prohibitory orders in force in the area, making it an unlawful assembly that required police intervention.

“There was an unlawful assembly that had to be dealt with; there were some incidents of stone-pelting, and the Delhi Police have detained some protesters. Appropriate action is being taken,” he told news agency ANI.

Senior police officers said a decision is yet to be taken on whether to remove the remaining protesters, including CJP convener Abhijeet Dipke and party spokespersons Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, who returned to the protest site after police cleared the area and dismantled the main stage on Monday evening.

Police said more than 118 personnel were injured during the violence, including officers of the ranks of special commissioner of police, joint commissioner of police, additional commissioner of police, deputy commissioner of police, additional deputy commissioner of police and assistant commissioner of police. The medico-legal examination (MLC) of the injured personnel was still underway on Monday evening.

Police also alleged that the protesters caused extensive damage to public property. “Around 15 to 20 government vehicles, along with other government property, were vandalised during the incident,” the statement said.

Around 70 protesters have been detained so far, police said, adding that an FIR is being registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other applicable laws relating to rioting, assault on public servants, damage to public property and other offences.

Officials said the situation continued to be monitored and security deployment would remain in place in central Delhi.