Delhi Police Crime Branch is investigating the July 20 CJP protest violence in Delhi, focusing on a possible premeditated plan, criminal elements, attacks on police, vandalism and public property damage, following Supreme Court directions on protest-related FIRs.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch has launched an investigation into the violence that erupted during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest in the national capital on July 20, with the probe set to examine whether the clashes were premeditated and whether criminal elements were involved, police sources said on Thursday.
According to Crime Branch sources, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law in connection with the violence. The investigation will focus on identifying those responsible for the incidents of violence and determining the circumstances that led to the situation escalating during the protest.
A key aspect of the investigation will be to establish whether the violence was planned in advance or occurred after individuals with criminal backgrounds entered the protest sites. Investigators are expected to examine the mobilisation of protesters, the activities of different organisations and the sequence of events leading up to the clashes.
The violence took place on July 20 when a large number of protesters gathered in and around Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The CJP had called for a march towards Parliament, with protesters demanding action over alleged paper leaks and other irregularities related to examinations.
According to the police, around 30,000 people participated in the protest and attempted to move towards Parliament. As the gathering grew and the situation deteriorated, clashes broke out between protesters and police personnel.
The confrontation involved alleged assaults on police personnel, vandalism and damage to public property. Police vehicles were also reportedly damaged during the violence. The police subsequently used force to control the situation, triggering criticism over the handling of the protest.
The Crime Branch investigation will now examine the events in detail, including how the crowd was mobilised, whether there were indications of planned violence and whether individuals or groups may have deliberately contributed to the escalation.
The development comes after a review of the Delhi Police intelligence system following the July violence. Officials had reportedly concluded that the available intelligence inputs were not sufficiently detailed regarding the expected number of protesters, the scale of mobilisation and the possible involvement of different organisations.
Following the review, the Delhi Police Special Branch was instructed to strengthen its intelligence-gathering mechanism and provide more detailed and actionable inputs before major protests. The focus was to move beyond basic information about the location of a protest and an estimated crowd size and instead assess mobilisation patterns, participating organisations and potential security risks.
The Crime Branch probe, however, comes against the backdrop of subsequent judicial developments concerning cases registered over the protests. On the directions of the Supreme Court, Delhi Police has already cancelled 17 FIRs related to the violence.
In September, the Supreme Court also quashed FIRs registered against student protesters in Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Assam in connection with protests held between July 20 and 25. The court directed that similar cases registered across the country would not be pursued or investigated.
Against this backdrop, the Crime Branch’s latest investigation is expected to focus specifically on the violent incidents, rather than merely the participation of protesters in the demonstrations. Investigators will examine the circumstances surrounding the attacks on police personnel, vandalism and destruction of public property.
Officials are also expected to analyse available evidence and information concerning the organisation and mobilisation of the July 20 gathering. The probe will seek to determine whether the violence resulted from a spontaneous escalation or whether there was any prior planning behind the incidents.
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The investigation could provide further clarity on the sequence of events that unfolded during the CJP’s Parliament march and help the Delhi Police assess the role of individuals or groups allegedly responsible for the violence.
The probe also comes as the Delhi Police reviews its preparedness for large-scale demonstrations in the national capital, particularly in view of the intelligence shortcomings identified after the July incident.
