Four Hindutva goons arrested over assault on students, women protestors in Delhi
Videos showing men wearing saffron shawls around their necks and carrying staffs as they attack protesters, many of them young students and women travelling alone to join their fellow demonstrators or returning from the march towards Jantar Mantar in Delhi, have been circulating widely on social media.
Yet, the Delhi Police have initiated action against only four Hindutva men in connection with the alleged assaults during Saturday’s anti-SIR protest, which called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Delhi Police have arrested Raman Saini, 50, Vivekanand alias Vivek, 32, Kapil Kumar, 27, and Ravinder Singh alias Govind Hindu, 35, after a video showing a group of men assaulting protesters on DDU Marg in central Delhi went viral on October 10, the first day of the demonstration.
The incident falls under the jurisdiction of Kamla Market police station, and the footage reportedly captures men pushing and striking young students, while women are also subjected to physical aggression in the presence of police officers, whose apparent conduct has raised questions about their role in the incident.
No formal complaint had reportedly been filed, but confidential inputs allegedly suggested that the accused might flee the Delhi-National Capital Region and go into hiding, while the Delhi Police nevertheless arrested the four men after taking suo motu cognisance of the footage.
“Taking suo motu cognisance of a video circulating on social media showing four men allegedly assaulting a male protester, Delhi Police, PS Kamla Market, acted promptly and initiated legal proceedings,” the police said in a post on X, adding that all four had been identified and that further action was under way.
The Cockroach Janta Party, which shared the video, described the incident as “deeply disturbing” and alleged that the assailants were associated with the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It also accused the police of helping the alleged attackers rather than protecting demonstrators.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, sharing a screenshot from the footage, accused the Delhi Police, which comes under the Union Home Ministry headed by Amit Shah, of having “descended into thuggery” and alleged that the police were encouraging RSS-BJP supporters to unleash violence against women and young people.
The protest was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party campaign and student groups affiliated with Left parties, amid mounting demands for Kumar’s resignation over concerns about the Election Commission’s functioning and its special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Authorities imposed extensive restrictions ahead of the demonstration, including detentions, the closure of 45 metro stations and the suspension of mobile internet services in central Delhi. Among those detained were several former chief ministers, opposition leaders, journalists and activists.