Volunteers scan crowd for unwanted elements, police in plainclothes
Volunteer-led crowd screening and plainclothes policing at Jantar Mantar after a clash with protesters highlight crowd-control, protest rights, and public-order policing in the capital.
- Volunteer-led screening, human chains, and basic support services were used to preserve order after a clash between police and protesters.
- Some protesters alleged that certain police officers were present without name badges, which intensified anxiety.
- Supporters said the protest continued to draw participants from different places after the death of a NEET aspirant in Rajasthan.
What happened
Volunteers at Jantar Mantar tried to keep a protest peaceful after clashes between police and protesters. They formed human chains, screened entrants, guided women, children, and older people, and watched for plainclothes police or other disruptive elements.
Protesters said the earlier baton charge had created anxiety. Some protesters also alleged that some police officers did not have name badges, which increased distrust at the site.
UPSC may frame the issue around how the State should balance the right to peaceful protest with maintenance of public order, police accountability, and safeguards against harassment, infiltration, or excessive use of force at protest sites.
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