Delhi Police Personnel Stage Rare Internal Protest Over Transfers After Shahdara Scuffle
In an unusual display of internal dissent, around 80 to 100 Delhi Police personnel, including women officers, gathered outside Gate No. 1 of the Delhi Police Headquarters (PHQ) on Monday morning to protest the transfers of two officers.
NEW DELHI— In an unusual display of internal dissent, around 80 to 100 Delhi Police personnel, including women officers, gathered outside Gate No. 1 of the Delhi Police Headquarters (PHQ) on Monday morning to protest the transfers of two officers. The demonstration, which also saw slogans raised inside the premises in some accounts, created tense scenes as senior officers tried to persuade the group to disperse and maintain discipline.
Background and Reasons for the Protest
The protest stems from events on October 23 at Shahdara police station. A scuffle involving police personnel and lawyers allegedly left advocate Lalit Bansal with a serious head injury. Lawyers accused officers of assault and high-handedness, specifically claiming ACP Manasvi Vashistha threatened or brandished a revolver. Police accounts described a group of lawyers creating a ruckus inside the SHO’s office, misbehaving with officers, and obstructing work.
District court lawyers launched an indefinite strike demanding action against the officers. The strike was called off after transfer orders were issued on October 28. ACP Manasvi Vashistha (previously SDPO of the Gandhi Nagar subdivision) was shifted to the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC), and Inspector Arun Kumar (then SHO of Shahdara) was moved to the Security Branch/Unit.
Also Read- INDIA Bloc Holds “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” Maha Rally at Ramlila Maidan
These transfers triggered resentment among sections of the force. Messages circulated in internal WhatsApp groups calling for personnel to assemble outside the PHQ to support the officers and seek restoration of their postings. District DCPs had earlier been directed to prevent staff from joining. The transferred ACP had also written to the Police Commissioner requesting an open house (Sampark Sabha) to discuss the incident, subsequent “adverse orders,” and recurring issues involving police personnel in courts.
Demands
Protesters’ core demands included:
- Immediate reinstatement of ACP Manasvi Vashistha and Inspector Arun Kumar to their previous postings.
- A direct meeting or Sampark Sabha with Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar to raise concerns.
- Broader systemic protections, including a standard operating procedure (SOP) for handling police-lawyer confrontations, limits on the number of advocates entering the SHO’s room (some reports cited a demand of not more than five at a time), security for police personnel attending courts, and action against the advocate involved in the alleged misbehavior.
Some personnel held placards and posters; one circulating image reportedly referenced past senior officers alongside the current transferred ACP. ACP Vashistha, who was present, described the gathering as an “organic call.”
Also Read- Massive Rally in Imphal Demands SoO Abrogation, Safe Return of Displaced Families
Official Statements and Response
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma arrived at the spot and spoke to ACP Vashistha and the assembled personnel. He urged them to uphold the discipline expected of the force and not “behave like protesters,” while requesting some to accompany him inside for discussions. The group initially refused to disperse or move the matter indoors. No senior official from within the headquarters initially came out to address the gathering.
Later reports indicated that some personnel eventually entered the headquarters for talks with the Commissioner. Prior to the protest, the Police Commissioner had held a coordination meeting with representatives of the Bar Council of Delhi and district court bar associations. Queries to the Delhi Police spokesperson on the matter have not drawn detailed public responses in coverage of the events.
The protest occurred a day before a scheduled interaction between Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Delhi Police personnel (from constable to inspector rank) on November 3 at Utsav Sadan, Kingsway Camp.
This rare internal demonstration highlights ongoing tensions between the police and the legal fraternity over perceived high-handedness, workplace safety, and administrative responses to confrontations. The situation remained fluid as of Monday afternoon, with senior officers working to manage the gathering while personnel pressed for dialogue and reinstatement.
