No excessive force against protesters; July 20 march was illegal: Delhi Police tell SC
Delhi Police told the Supreme Court that protesters breached barricades during the July 20 Parliament march, prompting graded force to control the crowd
The Delhi Police, in a counter affidavit before the Supreme Court, denied allegations of using excessive force on protesters as they tried to march towards the Parliament on July 20, claiming that the protests ceased to be peaceful once the agitators breached multiple barricades and tried to head towards the Parliament.
According to a report in Live Law, the counter affidavit filed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma further stated that police used a graded force of about 5000 personnel, who were trying to manage a crowd of more than 30,000 people in an area spanning across three kilometres.
The Delhi Police further stated that a scuffle ensued between the deployed personnel and protesters as the crowd went totally out of control, resulting in injuries to both sides.
Police defend use of force
Earlier, the Bihar Government had submitted before the Supreme Court that although a constable had fired four rounds from an AK47 in Siwan after being trapped in a crowd, the action did not result in any injuries.
Also Read: Rounds fired from AK-47 rifle during Siwan protest, but none injured: Bihar govt tells SC
More than 240 personnel and uniformed officers suffered injuries, while around 200 members of the public and protesters were also injured.
The Delhi Police has denied allegations of excessive force, stating that the claim cannot be sustained considering protesters present at different locations. The affidavit claims the involvement of anti-social elements and history sheeters.
Call march unlawful
The police stated that no permission had been granted for the Parliament march and described the gathering as illegal. It further stated that the attempt to proceed towards Parliament was an illegal act by an unlawful assembly.
The petitions, according to the police, rely on selective photographs, incomplete video clips and unverified media and social media reports. These, it claims, present a one-sided account.
Also Read: No justification for AK-47 on students, says ex-BSF officer
On allegations involving lathis with nails, the affidavit states that videos show one such incident, but claims the object was held by a protester. It says the object was a stick carrying the National Flag.
The affidavit stated that lathis are permissible gear and officers were trying to contain protesters. All measures, it says, followed permissible methods.
On plain-clothes personnel, facial recognition
Defending plain-clothes spotters, the Delhi Police stated that personnel from the Special Branch, Special Cell, Crime Branch and Local Police had entered the crowd because of urgency. It added that such deployment is used on Independence Day and Republic Day.
Also Read: RAF identifies personnel linked to alleged pellet gun firing in Delhi protest: Report
On facial recognition, the police said that the software used by it does not automatically profile everyone and is not used for indiscriminate surveillance. No action, it states, is taken solely on facial recognition, adding that field verification is conducted first.