Amid the ongoing protest against the alleged NEET paper leak in the national capital, the Delhi Police registered 10 First Information Reports (FIRs) following clashes between protesters and the police in New Delhi district, including one in connection with a video showing a Rapid Action Force (RAF) jawan being chased and assaulted allegedly by a group of protesters. The police said an investigation had been launched to identify those involved in the incident.
According to officials, four FIRs were registered at the Parliament Street police station, three at Connaught Place and one each at Mandir Marg, Barakhamba Road, and Kartavya Path police stations, respectively.
Officials said these FIRs pertain to different incidents related to the deterioration of the law and order situation during the protest.
According to the police, during Monday’s protest by the CJP in the New Delhi area, 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.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi Police registered five FIRs in connection with alleged violence, stone-pelting and vandalism during Monday’s protest at Jantar Mantar. They are probing whether the violence was part of a pre-planned conspiracy and have examined over 250 videos to identify those involved.
The FIRs have been registered at the Parliament Street and Connaught Place police stations under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, Arms Act, 1959, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDPP Act).
One FIR pertains to the alleged flying of a drone without permission in the New Delhi district area during the Parliament session. Another relates to an alleged conspiracy hatched for violence, with several crucial pieces of evidence emerging during the police investigation, sources said. Two FIRs have also been registered in connection with alleged obstruction of government work, assault on police personnel and damage to public property.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said they had issued rebuttals to at least 20 instances of fake news circulated on social media, including several misleading videos, on Monday and Tuesday.
The rebuttals included claims that a 12-year-old girl and a woman protester were assaulted by the police, that CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had been detained, that a girl had died in a stampede following a police lathicharge, and that police personnel used pellet guns or batons fitted with nails during the clashes.
The police denied claims that videos purportedly showing attacks on women or violence by police were from the protest site, saying many of them were either unrelated to the protests or circulated with misleading context.
A police source said investigators were also examining a viral audio clip in which the voice of a senior police officer was allegedly altered.
“The original appeal by the officer asking protesters to maintain peace and law and order was manipulated. Pakistan-based handlers allegedly modulated the voice and inserted fabricated audio. The viral clip is completely fake and has already been rebutted,” the source said.