At 4 am on Thursday, Delhi Police moved in on a group of protestors at India Gate, taking the parents of Ankita Bhandari and several opposition MPs into custody. The parents, who had gathered to demand justice for the 18‑year‑old victim of a brutal rape, were held for a few hours before being released later that morning. The police said the arrests were part of a broader operation to maintain public order during the sit‑in.
The protest, which began at 3 pm last evening, had been organized by Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate, Pawan Khera and Kazi Nizamuddin, who have been calling for a thorough investigation into the case and for the removal of the accused from the newly appointed post of Governor of Sikkim, held by Dushyant Gautam. The leaders alleged that the police were targeting those demanding accountability while the accused was being given a constitutional role.
Pawan Khera slammed the police action as 'brutality' and said the 'democracy is ending at 4 am'. He added that the 'one who has been accused can become governor while the parents of the victim could end up in jail.' The comments came after a protester described the police as 'manhandling MPs' and 'shaming the government'.
In a statement released on the official Delhi Police Twitter handle, the force said it had 'taken action against unlawful assemblages' and that the arrests were made in accordance with the Delhi Police Act. The statement also said the detained protestors would be released once the situation was under control.
The incident has prompted the Congress to file a formal complaint with the Delhi High Court, demanding a judicial inquiry into the use of force. A hearing is scheduled for next week, and the central government is expected to respond to the protestors' demands by the end of the month.