Delhi police personnel protest transfers, stopped by fellow officers outside headquarters

CNN Central News & Networks / ITDC India ePress / ITDC News /Agencies/ Delhi: New Delhi: An unusual situation developed outside the Delhi Police Headquarters on Monday when police personnel came out on the road to protest the transfers of officers from their own department. Senior police officers and other police personnel were deployed to stop and persuade the protesting personnel. The protesters who gathered outside Gate No. 1 of the headquarters demanded the withdrawal of the transfers of ACP Manasvi Vashisht and the then SHO of Shahdara police station, Inspector Arun Kumar.

Around 100 to 150 police personnel were reported to have joined the protest. Some reports put the number of personnel who gathered through the day at higher than this. Women police personnel were also among the protesters. New Delhi DCP Sachin Sharma reached the spot and urged the personnel to maintain discipline and place their concerns inside the headquarters. However, the police personnel demanded direct dialogue with the Commissioner of Police and a contact meeting.

The dispute began with a clash between police personnel and lawyers at Shahdara police station on October 23. Advocate Lalit Bansal sustained a head injury during the incident. After this, lawyers of the district courts began an indefinite strike, which was withdrawn on October 28 after the transfers of the two police officers.

The protesters said the police personnel’s side should also be heard in the matter and that clear arrangements should be made for their security at police stations and courts. After day-long developments, Commissioner of Police Anil Kumar held a contact meeting with the police personnel. A delegation placed five demands, including the formation of a grievance redressal committee, a clear standard operating procedure (SOP) for situations involving disputes with lawyers, and ensuring the security of police personnel.

The developments brought into public view the tensions within Delhi Police over the transfers of officers and police-lawyer relations.

Hashtags: #DelhiState #Delhi #PoliceProtest #DelhiPolice #Transfers #Shahdara #Protest #PolicePersonnel #DelhiPoliceHeadquarters #ShahdaraPoliceStation