NEW DELHI: Police on Sunday detained 15 people protesting against Delhi’s worsening pollution at C Hexagon after they allegedly refused to disperse. A senior officer said the protesters used pepper spray on personnel, triggering a brief scuffle.
Three to four policemen suffered irritation from the spray and were taken to hospital.Police said legal action will be taken against those involved.“Some of the protesters had entered the C-hexagon and attempted to cross the barricades put up to restrict movement. We tried to explain to them that many ambulances and medical personnel were stuck behind them and required emergency access, but they got very agitated,” the senior officer said.The police personnel sensed the situation could escalate to a scuffle and advised the protesters to step back.“They refused, broke the barricade, came onto the road, and sat there. When our teams were trying to remove them, some of the protestors attacked police personnel using chilli spray. Three to four personnel sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment,” the officer said.The protestors were subsequently removed from the C-hexagon to avoid traffic disruption.“This was very unusual. For the first time, protestors used chilli spray on officers managing traffic and law and order,” deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla told PTI.Earlier, on November 9, several people were also detained after they gathered at India Gate as part of a “clean air protest,” demanding urgent government action and strict policies to tackle what they called an “air emergency.”Some women even brought their children, holding nebulisers and medical prescriptions, to the site — symbolic reminders of the pollution crisis that has choked the city.Some took to social media, sharing visuals of people being herded into police buses. A post on X read: “India Gate clean-air protest. We are being taken away, shoved into a bus”. A few protesters alleged that they were manhandled and some children also detained, but police denied both claims.In a press statement, the protesters demanded “urgent, accountable and transparent action” from Delhi govt to tackle the crisis. They called for the creation of an independent air regulator, real-time air quality data transparency, clear health advisories during pollution spikes and public accountability for funds to tackle pollution.Delhi AQI todayDelhi woke up to dense smog on Monday, and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data indicates that the AQI has crossed the 400 mark in several areas, including Akshardham, ITO and Ghazipur, placing it in the ‘severe’ category.Water sprinklers were deployed as authorities attempted to tame the thick smog enveloping the area.Meanwhile on Sunday, Bawana recorded the highest AQI level of 435 at 7 am, falling under the ‘severe’ category. In contrast, NSIT Dwarka recorded the lowest AQI of 313, according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).A layer of toxic smog lingers in the air of Anand Vihar, as the Central Pollution Control Board reported that the Air Quality Index in the area is 429, categorised as ‘very poor’.Chandani Chowk recorded an AQI of 390, RK Puram 397, ITO 384, Punjabi Bagh 411, Patparganj 401, Pusa 360, and Dwaraka Sector-8 386.(With agency inputs)
