New Delhi: Protests against the Supreme Court’s order to move all street dogs in Delhi to shelters escalated on Saturday evening (August 16), after demonstrators at Central Park near India Gate clashed with police. Activists accused the security personnel of assault, while the police claimed that the gathering was unauthorised.
Activists Allege Assault and Harassment
According to Divya Puri, co-founder of the Karan Puri Foundation, protesters were detained despite demonstrating peacefully. “Security personnel came to us and asked us to leave. All the exits of Central Park were shut and only one exit gate was open. While we were leaving through the only exit gate, they started assaulting us, even women. We were stuffed inside a few buses and later released at Jantar Mantar and Jhandewalan at around 7-7.30 pm,” Puri told Hindustan Times.
Videos circulated by the group appeared to show uniformed officials hitting demonstrators and dragging them into buses. Activist Tarana Singh alleged that women were subjected to verbal abuse and harassment. “The protesters were gathered peacefully. The police deployment was as much as the people gathered there. They abused and assaulted us and tried to tear our clothes. Is gathering peacefully also banned now?” she asked.
Police Response
A senior Delhi Police officer said that protests are not permitted inside Central Park and that the demonstrators had no authorisation. The officer added that protesters had charged at personnel first, leading to retaliation. An FIR under Section 223 (disobedience of order by a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered against the group, marking the fifth such case in connection with similar demonstrations.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla said Section 163 (issuing orders in urgent cases of nuisance) of the BNSS had been imposed in the area due to the ongoing Parliament session. “We are bound by law to take action when there is a protest at places which are not designated for protests,” he said.
When questioned about a viral video of a female sub-inspector striking a protester inside a detention bus, the officer said an inquiry had concluded that the protester had hit first, leading to the officer’s response.
