The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday ordered a probe into allegations that a 12-year-old girl was injured during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘Sansad Chalo’ (March to Parliament) in New Delhi. The body also directed the authorities to locate the affected child immediately, ensure that she receives appropriate medical aid and verify whether child protection laws were violated. 

The Commission intervened amid conflicting claims by the CJP and the Delhi Police over the circumstances surrounding the alleged injury, adding a fresh dimension to the political confrontation which unfolded during the CJP’s move. 

NHRC seeks accountability over child’s presence at protest

A Bench headed by NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo directed the authorities concerned to probe how the minor came to participate in the agitation and identify the person responsible for bringing her to the protest site. 

Furthermore, it instructed officials to initiate appropriate action under the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act if any violations are established during the inquiry. Additionally, the body ordered authorities to examine allegations that the child was manhandled during the protest. It said legal proceedings should be initiated against those found responsible if the claims are substantiated. 

At the same time, the Commission noted that if the information being circulated online is found to be fake or misleading, authorities should take appropriate legal action, including the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), in accordance with the law. 

Delhi Police shun allegations

After the CJP claimed that a girl aged 12, identified as Geetanjali, sustained an injury to her head during the protest, besides other demonstrators also being injured, the NHRC took the action. However, the Delhi Police rejected the allegations, terming them ‘false’. In a fact-check statement posted on their official ‘X’ handle, the force said claims that the minor had been assaulted, her hair pulled or that dozens of protestors had suffered serious head injuries were ‘not true.’ Police urged the commoners not to propagate or amplify misleading information on social media. 

Violence ensues during ‘Sansad Chalo’ march

The incident allegedly unfolded as thousands of CJP protestors congregated near Jantar Mantar and then attempted to march towards Parliament in response to the party’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ call. 

Security around the Parliament had been beefed up owing to the ongoing Monsoon Session, and the cops erected barricades to prevent demonstrators from advancing. Clashes erupted at several locations after protestors tried to breach security barricades, following which, police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowd. More than 70 protestors were reportedly detained, sources said. 

Sources privy to Delhi Police said separate FIRs were being registered on the basis of complaints received from different protest sites. They also claimed that more than 50 security personnel, including Delhi Police officers and paramilitary personnel deployed for law and order duties, sustained injuries during the clashes. Police are sifting through CCTV footage and cell phone videos to ascertain the sequence of events.

Wangchuk extends hunger strike

Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk, a pivotal contributor to the CJP’s agitation, announced that he would continue his hunger strike, which entered its 23rd day on Monday. He said the police action against demonstrators had compelled him to extend his fast until youth representatives are permitted to meet Members of Parliament or he is allowed to do so from Safdarjung Hospital, where he was admitted after being removed from Jantar Mantar by police.