Several videos purportedly showing men in civilian clothes assaulting protesters during the 'Chalo Sansad' march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday have gone viral on social media, triggering questions about the role of the unidentified individuals seen alongside Delhi Police personnel.
The videos, which have attracted thousands of views, likes, comments and shares across platforms, appear to show plain-clothed men carrying batons and canes confronting protesters during the demonstration. The authenticity of the videos and the identity of the individuals could not be independently verified.
One of the videos, shared on Instagram, shows protesters confronting a group of men in civilian clothes standing near Delhi Police personnel. During the exchange, one of the protesters questions their identity before police officers intervene as tensions escalate.
Another video, posted on X by YouTuber Abhijit Banerjee, shows a woman questioning a police officer over a man in civilian clothes who appears to be striking a protester. The footage appears to show the individual continuing to hit the protester before walking away from the scene.
The clips have sparked widespread debate online, with many social media users questioning whether the plain-clothed individuals were authorised to assist the police during the protest. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding their identity or role.
Samajwadi Party president and Kannauj MP Akhilesh Yadav also weighed in on the controversy, alleging in a post on X that private individuals had been used against protesters and drawing a comparison with Adolf Hitler's methods. At the time of writing, Delhi Police had not issued a detailed response to the allegations circulating on social media.
