Family members of Delhi Police personnel injured during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar addressed a press conference on Friday, demanding justice and sharing emotional accounts of the violence their loved ones allegedly faced while on duty. The relatives claimed that police personnel were attacked by protesters with stones, shoes and slippers during the demonstration, leaving several officers injured.
Speaking at the press conference, the son of an injured Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) recalled the condition in which his father returned after the violence. "My father's uniform was soaked in blood," he said, urging authorities to ensure strict action against those responsible for attacking police personnel. Recalling the incident, he said he was shocked when he learned that his father had sustained a head injury during the protest.
"When I saw him, his head had been shaved for treatment and he had four stitches. I was extremely scared," he said. Speaking further, he said that his father told him there were anti-social elements mixed in with the crowd and that the protesters suddenly began pelting stones, leaving the police personnel with little time to react. The family members said the officers were performing their duty when they came under attack and deserved justice for the injuries they sustained.
'This was no longer a students' protest'
Another speaker, Kunjal, whose father serves as a Sub-Inspector with the Delhi Police, said his father had repeatedly expressed concern about the changing nature of the protest. "My father was deployed at the front-line barricades. Every night when he returned home, he would tell us that this no longer looked like a students' protest and that anti-social elements had entered the gathering," Kunjal said.
He said his father was injured the very next day and admitted to hospital. "When I saw him, his uniform was soaked in blood. Despite having four stitches, he told me, 'Son, it's alright. Injuries happen.'" Kunjal also criticised social media narratives surrounding the incident.
"People on social media are portraying my father as the criminal while those accused of violence are approaching the courts. We approached the Supreme Court through our advocate and were assured that we, too, have rights that deserve protection," he added.
'Police attacked with stones, flower pots and shoes'
Seema, whose husband serves as an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in the Delhi Police, said he was deployed at Jantar Mantar on the day of the protest. She recalled that her husband had left home early on July 20 and informed her around 11 am that the crowd at Jantar Mantar was growing larger and protesters were marching towards Parliament. "I simply told him to take care of himself," she said.
Later that evening, when she called him around 7 pm, she learnt that he had been admitted to LNJP Hospital for treatment. "He told me that the crowd had turned violent and anti-social elements had joined the protesters. The police personnel were attacked with stones, flower pots, shoes and slippers," she said. Seema added that the protective helmet issued to her husband was completely shattered during the violence.
"If one of those stones had hit him directly, he might not have survived. I was terrified until he finally returned home," she said. She also alleged that protesters broke through barricades erected to secure the route leading towards Parliament.
Families urge Parliament to acknowledge police sacrifices
Appealing to lawmakers, Seema urged Members of Parliament to also raise the concerns of police personnel who suffer injuries while protecting public institutions. "I want to tell our elected representatives that the issues faced by police personnel and their families should also be discussed in Parliament. Action should be taken against those responsible for these attacks," Seema said. She further claimed that only one side of the incident had been highlighted in public discourse. "Since July 20, the narrative has been that students were assaulted by the police. That is only one part of the story. There is another side to what happened. Parliament is a symbol of the nation, and the police personnel protecting it also deserve justice and recognition," she added.
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