Violence Erupts During Protests in Delhi as Hindu Raksha Dal Members Assault Demonstrators

Protests Turn Violent in Central Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 11: During protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in central Delhi on Saturday, groups of men adorned in saffron scarves reportedly threatened and attacked demonstrators, despite prohibitory orders being in effect. Police detained thousands of protesters throughout the capital.

Authorities announced the arrest of four individuals claiming affiliation with the right-wing Hindu Raksha Dal for allegedly assaulting a male protester and physically confronting a female protester on DDU Marg.

Numerous videos from the protests depicted larger groups roaming the protest areas, intimidating demonstrators while expressing their support for law enforcement and the government.

Some individuals accused the protesters of chanting 'anti-national and anti-Modi' slogans, asserting that those labeled as anti-national deserved to be punished.

In one video, men in saffron scarves were heard chanting, “Delhi Police tum lath bajao, hum tumhare saath hain” (Delhi Police, wield your batons; we are with you). They also claimed to be present in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed no fear of police detention.

A widely circulated video allegedly captured two men attacking a male protester and pushing a woman to the ground while tugging at her clothing.

The footage also seemed to show police officers present at the scene. In one clip, an officer approached one of the alleged assailants and appeared to converse with him before the man charged at the person filming the incident.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, shared a screenshot of the alleged assault.

Pinki Chaudhary, the leader of Hindu Raksha Dal, later posted the video on social media, identifying the attackers as members of his organization and taking responsibility for the incident.

“These are my workers from the Hindu Raksha Dal, an organization that fulfills its promises,” he stated, adding that the group could 'correct the minds' of those he referred to as 'cockroaches.'

In another post, Chaudhary labeled the men as 'warriors' of Sanatan Dharma, warning that anyone who attacked it would face repercussions.

He further stated that the organization would not hesitate to retaliate against those who challenged it and expressed his readiness to protect his members.

These posts followed an earlier appeal from Chaudhary urging supporters to arrive at Jantar Mantar armed with sticks.

Police confirmed the arrests of the four men in connection with the assault on DDU Marg, which falls under the jurisdiction of Kamla Market police station.

The arrests pertain to one of the incidents captured on video, while other footage showed groups confronting and threatening demonstrators at various locations.

The videos also highlighted the social media activity of the accused. Investigations traced the Instagram accounts of two arrested individuals, revealing posts with incendiary communal content, which were deleted by Sunday morning.

Among the content was an August video celebrating the release of one of the alleged attackers from jail, with supporters referring to him as a 'lion' both inside and outside prison, claiming he instilled fear in 'jihadis.'

Other videos depicted men identifying as Hindu Raksha Dal members forcibly closing down chicken shops and non-vegetarian restaurants.

The recent arrests have reignited scrutiny of the organization and Chaudhary, who has faced multiple criminal charges over the years.

Founded in 2013, the group has been linked to campaigns advocating cow protection, opposing interfaith relationships, and alleged religious conversions.

In July, following protests led by students at Jantar Mantar, Chaudhary and his associates released videos threatening violence against demonstrators.

During the protests on Saturday, some men confronting demonstrators openly defended the use of violence, with one individual from Uttar Pradesh justifying the attacks by claiming that those attempting to divide the nation deserved punishment.