New Delhi: “They tell us that protest is their fundamental right. But what about a policeman’s human rights ?” asks a policeman deployed for protest duty in New Delhi.
Women police personnel said they often face tougher situations. I have bruises on my hands,” said a woman sub-inspector deployed in the Windsor Place area. Speaking to TOI, a head constable said he and other policemen had detained some protesters when a group of people allegedly pulled them down and kicked them from behind as they tried to get back on their feet. My family was also worried,” he said, adding that when their families saw videos on social media, they had to tell them nothing had happened.
Police personnel acknowledge that the right to protest is fundamental but say the rights and safety of those enforcing law and order cannot be overlooked. They allege that personnel are routinely abused, dragged, mobbed and deliberately provoked while carrying out their duties. “Whenever we try to detain a female protester, male protesters come and drag us and touch us inappropriately. She alleged that female protesters have also spat at police personnel and, at times, bitten them. A video showing two policemen being pulled to the ground and kicked during Wednesday’s protest on Ashoka Road has been circulating on social media.
“I have handled protests earlier and protesters never attacked us. There would be small scuffles, but what happened on Wednesday felt like a lynching situation.
“They will start abusing you, then your family,” another officer on duty said, describing how verbal attacks can quickly become personal. Those deployed on the front lines say the abuse does not always stop at the barricades. Some protesters, claimed officers, also allegedly carry small microphones to create the impression that they are from the media while provoking and mobbing police personnel.