Delhi pollution protest: Police probe Naxal links in India Gate clash; 2 groups under scanner

Delhi pollution protest

The Delhi Police have narrowed their investigation to two organisations for allegedly attacking police during a protest over Delhi’s poor air quality near India Gate. The two organisations, Himkhand, a climate-focused group, and Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM), a student organisation working for tribal welfare, may have played a key role in triggering the violence, The Indian Express reported.

According to the police, members of these two groups allegedly carried handmade posters of Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was recently killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh. Investigators believe these posters were brought to the protest site by members of The Himkhand and BSCEM.

Although the focus is on these two groups, officers clarified that the other organisations present at the protest have not been given a clean chit yet.

Four groups in total had called for a demonstration at India Gate on Sunday, but none of them sought permission before gathering at the site. The demonstration was initially projected as a protest against Delhi’s worsening air quality.

Police probe possible Naxal links

Delhi Police have added Section 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), related to imputations prejudicial to national integration, to one of the FIRs. Officials said they are also examining whether any protester had suspected Naxal links, as some participants allegedly raised slogans supporting Naxal groups.

The Special Cell and the Crime Branch are assisting local police to verify any links between the protest groups and Maoist outfits. Under Section 197 of the BNS, which broadly corresponds to Section 153B of the old IPC, a person can be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.

Police said that in the first FIR, registered at the Kartavya Path police station, six people were arrested. They allegedly used pepper spray on officers who asked them to leave the India Gate C-Hexagon area. These six were produced before a magistrate in Patiala House Courts on November 24. Five were sent to two-day judicial custody, while the sixth was kept in a safehouse until his age is verified.

Before Section 197 was added, the FIR already included several charges under the BNS, including assaulting women, voluntarily causing hurt, deterring public servants, obstructing duties, and disobeying orders.

WhatsApp group with 200 members under probe

Investigators have found that a WhatsApp group, created just a week before the protest, played a central role in coordinating the gathering. The group had over 200 members and three administrators, two of whom have been arrested. One admin is suspected of being involved in the chilli spray incident, TOI reported.

Police will now examine the chats exchanged in this group to understand whether the protest was planned in a coordinated and organised manner. Officers believe messages may reveal the roles played by different members and whether any instructions came from outside networks.

Police said the protesters initially gathered at India Gate without permission. After they were removed from the area, a group allegedly regrouped near the Parliament Street police station, where they blocked the entry gate and scuffled with officers. This led to the registration of the second FIR.

Meanwhile, police teams are collecting more information about The Himkhand and BSCEM, including their networks and previous protests. Officers said they may seek custody of the arrested individuals in the coming days if deeper interrogation is required.