Delhi Police denies excessive use of force during protest: '5k cops tried to manage 30k+ protesters'
The police said the situation turned violent after sections of the crowd allegedly breached multiple layers of barricades and tried to move towards Parliament.
The Delhi Police has staunchly defended its actions during the July 20 "Sansad Chalo" protest march, arguing that its force was proportional and only used after the protest turned violent. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma claimed that 5,000 officers were deployed to manage over 30,000 protesters over a distance of nearly three kilometres.
The police maintained that the gathering had transformed into an unlawful assembly after protesters breached multiple barricades and moved towards Parliament despite lacking permission for such a march. The police also questioned the reliability of evidence presented by petitioners, asserting their own actions were accurately documented through videos and photographs.
They also disputed claims of police using lathis with nails, stating one instance was of a protester, not an officer. The police further denounced descriptions of protesters physically assaulting officers, asserting these were isolated incidents. They also defended the use of facial-recognition technology, stating it was for targeting criminals, not indiscriminate surveillance. The police's response awaits consideration by the Supreme Court's Chief Justice-led bench.
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