Assistant commissioner of police Manasvi Vashistha has received a suspension letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs a day after hundreds of Delhi Police personnel gathered at Police Headquarters to protest his transfer and raise concerns about interactions with lawyers.
Police sources told The Times of India that the suspension followed Vashistha’s participation in the mobilisation, which took place outside and later inside the headquarters. Delhi Police described the gathering as a “sampark sabha”, or interaction meeting, rather than a formal protest.
The mobilisation was triggered by the transfer of Vashistha and Shahdara station house officer Arun Kumar after a confrontation between police personnel and lawyers at Shahdara police station on October 23. The incident involved an advocate who sustained a serious head injury. Lawyers accused the two officers of misbehaviour and alleged that Vashistha had brandished his pistol. The supplied report does not indicate any final finding on those allegations.
Vashistha, who had previously been posted in Gandhi Nagar, was transferred to the Special Police Unit for Women and Children. Kumar was moved to the security unit. Vashistha subsequently led the mobilisation and posted a video appealing to Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar for an open-house discussion. Messages circulated in WhatsApp groups asking personnel to assemble at Police Headquarters.
About 100 personnel initially gathered outside the headquarters, with the number rising to around 500 when the meeting was called. Security was strengthened near Gate No. 1, where additional police and Central Armed Police Force personnel were deployed and barricades were erected. Videos also showed senior officers attempting to discourage personnel from gathering.
Speaking to reporters, Vashistha said the mobilisation was an organic call by police personnel and that he had joined it. He said a formal application had been submitted seeking a platform to present their grievances to senior officers. During the gathering, he called for a clear standard operating procedure for lawyers entering police stations, a dedicated cell at Police Headquarters to address such incidents and additional security at court complexes.
A subsequent meeting at Vimarsh Hall was attended by the police commissioner and senior officers. According to an official press note, personnel raised concerns about the dignity of the force, respect for the uniform and the need for a structured grievance-redressal mechanism. The commissioner appreciated the force’s professionalism and commitment, particularly during law-and-order duties and the BRICS Summit, and assured prompt action on genuine grievances.
Delhi Police also announced a joint coordination committee with representatives of bar associations and the Bar Council of Delhi at district and Police Headquarters levels. The committee will address issues faced by personnel while performing their duties. The police said matters involving promotions, Modified Assured Career Progression, housing and other service concerns would also be examined.
District and unit heads have been directed to hold regular meetings and ensure time-bound resolution of grievances under the supervision of senior officers. After the meeting, which lasted more than 40 minutes, several personnel returned to the road outside the headquarters, with about 40 continuing the protest.
