Jantar Mantar Protests: Delhi Cops Skip Name Tags

Police deployment at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has drawn attention amid protests over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions.

Several personnel were seen without name tags during demonstrations targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Officials said the measure was deliberate for many junior personnel. They cited concerns over online targeting after violence during a July 20 protest.

Personnel involved in crowd control were reportedly identified on social media after that incident.

The earlier protest followed weeks of demonstrations and a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

Protesters attempted to march towards Parliament while demanding action over alleged examination paper leaks.

Police used tear gas and lathi charges after demonstrators tried to breach barricades.

Videos from the incident circulated widely online. Subsequently, some officers reportedly told senior officials that they and their families faced online targeting.

Some also claimed their relatives were discussed in social circles and social media posts.

Following internal reviews, senior officers reportedly assured personnel that they could remove name tags while performing their duties lawfully.

Most senior IPS officers continued wearing identification tags. However, several junior personnel deployed at Jantar Mantar reportedly did not.

The missing tags became a point of confrontation during the latest protests. Demonstrators questioned officers about their identities.

Some personnel claimed their tags had fallen off during the situation. Others declined to explain their absence.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police detained protesters outside Parliament Street Police Station on Monday.

The protesters were demonstrating over alleged sexual misconduct involving three women journalists during an October 3 protest at Jantar Mantar.

According to one protester, the group had demonstrated from 6 pm until 6 am. Police detained them around 7 am.

The protester alleged that the group only sought registration of an FIR but was instead taken into custody.

The developments have placed police identification practices under renewed scrutiny. At the same time, authorities cite concerns over the safety and privacy of personnel involved in crowd control.

Image Credit: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jantar_Mantar,_New_Delhi_(Misra_Yantra).jpg