ACP Manasvi Vashishtha suspended day after protest outside Delhi Police Headquarters

The protest on the footpath outside Gate no.1 of the Delhi Police Headquarters. (Special Arrangement)

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manasvi Vashishtha was suspended after staging a protest outside the Police Headquarters on Monday.

ACP Vashistha joined police personnel in a protest outside the force’s headquarters on Monday against the transfer of two officers — one of whom was Vashistha himself —after a scuffle with lawyers at Shahdara police station on October 23.

Around 100 personnel initially gathered outside Gate No. 1, demanding the reinstatement of Vashistha and Inspector Arun Kumar, the SHO of Shahdara police station. The protest later grew, with around 500 personnel attending a meeting with Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and other senior officers.

The transfers followed an incident in which an advocate allegedly sustained a serious head injury during a scuffle at Shahdara police station, prompting district court lawyers to launch a strike. The lawyers called off the strike on October 28 after the transfer orders were issued, but the move triggered discontent among police personnel.

Protesters raised concerns over the treatment of policemen in courts, alleged pressure during investigations involving lawyers and the need for a grievance redressal mechanism.

The personnel continued their protest outside the headquarters after meeting senior officers, while some expressed apprehension that action could be taken against them for participating in the demonstration.

Sakshi Chand is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. With over a decade of... Read More