Cop suspended after leading protest outside Delhi Police headquarters

Around 150 Delhi Police personnel had gathered outside the Delhi Police headquarters on Monday to protest against the transfer of two officers, including ACP Manasvi Vashishtha, following a confrontation between police and lawyers at the Shahdara police station.

In Short

• ACP Manasvi Vashishtha suspended by Delhi Police
• 150 personnel protested outside Delhi Police HQ earlier
• 2, including the ACP, were transferred after clash with lawyers

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manasvi Vashishtha, who became the face of a rare protest by Delhi Police personnel, has been suspended, sources told India Today TV on Tuesday. The officer had led a protest by dozens of police personnel outside the Delhi Police headquarters on Monday.

The cops had gathered to protest against departmental action faced by the ACP and another colleague following a face-off with lawyers at the police station in Delhi's Shahdara on October 23.

Around 150 Delhi Police personnel, including women officers, staged the unusual demonstration to protest against the duo's transfer.

The protesting cops had called for the reinstatement of ACP Vashishtha and Inspector Arun Kumar, who was the Shahdara Station House Officer (SHO) prior to his transfer, to their previous postings.

A delegation of police personnel also met Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and submitted five demands, which included action against lawyers involved in the Shahdara incident, and registration of FIRs against lawyers who indulge in "hooliganism."

Later, Delhi Police said the commissioner had assured the protesting personnel of prompt and appropriate action to reinforce the morale of the force.

Holding placards and posters, the protesting personnel raised slogans of "vardi ka apmaan nahi sahenge" (we will not tolerate insult to the uniform).

Tense moments unfolded outside Gate No. 1 of the police headquarters as senior officers, including New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sachin Sharma, reached the spot and tried to persuade the protesting personnel to call off their demonstration.

Sharma, who was seen speaking to Vashishtha, asked some personnel to accompany him inside the headquarters, but they refused, demanding a "Sampark Sabha" with the police commissioner, which was eventually held.

The call for the demonstration was circulated using Delhi Police WhatsApp groups, according to news agency PTI. District DCPs and unit heads had reportedly been asked to ensure that their staff did not participate in the protest.

Speaking to reporters, Vashistha said the protest was an "organic call" initiated by police personnel and that he was joining it.

WHAT LED TO THE TRANSFERS?

Advocate Lalit Bansal allegedly sustained a serious head injury during the October 23 scuffle between lawyers and police personnel at the Shahdara police station.

Following the incident, local lawyers reached the police station demanding action over the alleged assault on him.

The lawyers subsequently accused police personnel of threatening and misbehaving with them.

The Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations in Delhi then announced an indefinite strike, with advocates abstaining from work across district courts.

In an attempt to defuse the increasingly hostile situation and bring the lawyers' strike to an end, the police administration transferred ACP Vasishta and Inspector Kumar.

Following assurances that the FIRs and complaints filed by the Shahdara Bar Association would be investigated over two months, the district court lawyers called off their multi-day strike.

- Ends
(With inputs from agencies)