Delhi Police detained huge number of people, including parents, concerned citizens, environmental activists, and political leaders, at India Gate during a protest against worsening air quality. The protest started around 5 PM and included animal rights activists who were expressing their disapproval of a recent Supreme Court ruling on stray dogs.
60 to 80 people detained by Delhi Police
Initially, the protest took place under a heavy police presence. The Delhi Police said that the gathering occurred without their permission. Protesters claimed that police threatened them. They said the police warned they would file FIRs and detain them.
Eventually, many people were detained and protesters said they were taken to an unknown location. “Approximately 60 to 80 people were detained from both protests. We only detained those blocking Mansingh Road who were preventing others and vehicles from passing,” said DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla. He noted that Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Saurabh Bharadwaj led the protest on Mansingh Road.
“The others, who were inside India Gate, were directed to leave and removed,” DCP Mahla added. Additional DCP Anand Kumar Mishra had denied permission for the protest at India Gate the day before, citing security and traffic concerns. He suggested protesters go to Jantar Mantar instead.
People protest for bad air quality
In a post on X, environmentalist Vimlendu Jha claimed that the Delhi Police were also detaining children. “Even children are detained, who were only asking for their right to breathe,” he wrote. However, DCP Mahla denied this, stating that no children had been detained.
Earlier, during the demonstration, protesters, ranging from students to working professionals, insisted that the government’s lack of will to find an effective solution to rising air pollution has led to a health crisis in the capital. People held placards that called attention to the “air emergency” and demanded “clean air for children.”
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