New Delhi: Nearly 38km from Rajiv Chowk, Delhi High Court advocate Gaurav Jain, found himself at a community centre in Pandwala Khurd, a village he had never heard of, while responding to an SOS by protesters detained Sunday. They alleged minors had been detained alongside other protesters.“The location kept changing from Kapashera to Chhawla to ultimately this village I’d never heard of before,” he said.Jain reached around 8pm with other lawyers. He alleged he was stopped by cops at the gate and was not allowed to meet detainees for several minutes. He said he then called 112 for the police control room van and also contacted the Principal Magistrate of Juvenile Justice Board-7, asking her to seek a status report from the SHO on the detained minors.Arjun, a protester who was detained, said in a video message after being released that he was protesting at Connaught Place around 3pm Sunday. He said he saw cops dragging a couple simply crossing the road, with no female officers nearby. “The police jumped on us and detained us when we tried to help. They then called women constables,” he said.The protesters said they were first taken to an isolated stretch near Rajiv Chowk. “We were told to sit in rows… the cops then asked us to hand over our phones and passwords. An inspector… tried accessing one person’s photo gallery, saying he was deleting ‘aaj ka video’. When the person protested, he was slapped,” Arjun alleged.The protesters were then put on another police bus that was divided into 7-8 compartments using iron rods. Arjun alleged four minors were among the detainees. Despite assurances that cooperation would ensure proper treatment, he alleged, they were beaten during the journey.“There was no space to run as they kept beating us,” he added, recounting that the bus reached Chhawla police station around 6.53pm. From there, the protesters were taken to the community centre in Pandwala Khurd, where their details, including those of the minors, were recorded.Police, however, said that claims of violence at Pandwala Khurd were completely baseless and false. It said that no protester was beaten up or physically assaulted by personnel at the site.“Officers had made arrangements to ensure that those detained or present at the location were provided with basic assistance and did not face unnecessary hardship. They came around 8pm and were allowed to leave around 9.30 pm,” a senior police officer said.Jain, however, was caught on video pleading with the CRPF personnel guarding the gate: “IO sahab, hume andar aane dijiye. Humare bulane pe hi police aayi hai.”The lawyers eventually entered in the PCR van they had called, Jain said. The protesters were released around 9.30pm. One detainee appeared to have injuries on his hand.“They had taken away everyone’s phone, and when he resisted, he was beaten up. When I asked whether he had received medical assistance, they took him away in a van to help,” Jain stated.Police said food and drinking water were provided to the protesters, while those who had sustained injuries were given first aid. Police also denied allegations that anyone’s mobile phone had been snatched or that any protester had been subjected to misbehaviour by personnel deployed at Pandwala Khurd.“No woman or any other protester was harassed during the operation. Police arrangements continued even after the protesters were released. Buses were provided to facilitate their movement from Pandwala Khurd to the nearest metro stations and bus stands to access public transport and continue their journeys,” the officer said.
