Amid the continuing protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Delhi Police on Thursday claimed that the agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has been "completely hijacked" by anti-social elements who are allegedly using the gathering to launch attacks on security personnel. Police sources said that while the protest begins peacefully during the day, it turns violent in the evening as outside elements infiltrate the crowd and target uniformed personnel with stones and bottles.
According to Delhi Police sources, anti-social elements have been hiding among student protesters before suddenly attacking security personnel with sharp stones and glass bottles. They alleged that these incidents trigger aggressive behaviour among sections of the crowd, leading to clashes with police. To maintain law and order, Delhi Police has deployed additional paramilitary personnel around the protest site.
Police sources, however, maintained that the government has not yet issued any directions for strict action against the protesters and remains keen on resolving the situation through dialogue with students. They said security forces have been instructed to exercise maximum restraint, prioritising their own safety while avoiding any forceful retaliation.
Officials described a distinct pattern in the protests. According to police, the atmosphere at Jantar Mantar remains largely peaceful during the day, with demonstrators reciting poetry, raising slogans and listening to speeches from the stage, where organisers repeatedly stress that the protest is non-violent. However, as evening approaches, the crowd grows significantly, with the gathering spilling onto surrounding roads. Police alleged that it is during this period that incidents of stone-pelting, attacks on personnel and violence begin to occur.
The claims come a day after at least two Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) and four other police personnel were injured in separate stone-pelting incidents near Jantar Mantar on Wednesday evening. Police sources alleged that several anti-social elements had entered the protest site and were not even listening to instructions from CJP organisers.
According to police, ACP Jai Prakash, posted in Punjabi Bagh, sustained a forehead injury around 4.30 pm while performing law and order duties when protesters allegedly began pelting stones. Later in the evening, another ACP and at least four police personnel were injured in a separate incident. The injured officers were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, and police said that all of them are currently in stable condition.
Delhi Police also said repeated announcements were made urging protesters to maintain peace and refrain from disturbing public order. Despite these appeals, officials claimed that sections of the crowd continued to indulge in violence.
Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party rejected the government's approach and raised concerns over the alleged shutdown of internet services around Jantar Mantar. In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke questioned whether the suspension of internet connectivity was a precursor to another police crackdown on the agitation.
In a separate message, Dipke appealed directly to police and paramilitary personnel deployed at the protest site, urging them not to use force against demonstrators. He called upon security personnel not to obey what he described as "illegal orders" to assault peaceful protesters and framed the situation as a test of their commitment to the public.
The developments highlight the growing confrontation between the protesters and the authorities, with Delhi Police alleging infiltration by disruptive elements while the CJP accuses the government of attempting to suppress the agitation. As the protest enters another day, security remains tight around Jantar Mantar, with additional forces deployed to prevent any escalation of violence.
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