Several Delhi Police personnel staged a protest at the Police Headquarters in New Delhi on November 2 against the transfer of the Assistant Commissioner of Police and Station House Officer of Shahdara district, with the transferred ACP himself participating in the demonstration.
The transfers followed protests by lawyers who accused the two officers of misbehaviour. The lawyers also alleged that the ACP had brandished his pistol during an altercation. The allegations and the subsequent departmental action triggered opposition among police personnel, who assembled at the headquarters to express their dissatisfaction with the transfer orders.
The demonstration took place in two phases. The first gathering was held outside the Delhi Police Headquarters, followed by a second protest within the premises. The participation of the ACP whose transfer had prompted the demonstration added an unusual dimension to the dispute and brought the departmental action into sharper focus.
A Deputy Commissioner of Police approached the protesting personnel during the demonstration and attempted to calm the situation. According to the report, the DCP urged them not to protest or behave like demonstrators, reminding them that they were members of the police force. The intervention did not persuade the personnel to end the demonstration.
Security arrangements around the headquarters were subsequently strengthened as tensions grew. Additional police personnel were deployed, particularly near Gate No. 1, to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident. Paramilitary personnel were also stationed in the area as a precautionary measure.
The incident places the functioning of Delhi’s police administration and the handling of disputes involving police personnel, lawyers and departmental authorities in the immediate public spotlight. The report does not specify whether the transfer orders were withdrawn, modified or placed under review.
The episode also recalls a major demonstration by Delhi Police personnel in November 2019, when police officers took to the streets following clashes between policemen and lawyers at Tis Hazari Court. No further official action or timeline concerning the Shahdara officers’ transfers was provided in the report.
