‘Don’t behave like protesters’: Delhi Police faces protest within its own ranks

Unprecedented scenes were witnessed outside the Delhi Police Headquarters (PHQ) on Monday morning as around 100 personnel protested against the transfer of two police officers even as seniors tried to persuade them to call it off. The protest began outside Gate No.

1 at 8.30 am, following which DCP (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma reached the spot and spoke to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manasvi Vashistha - one of the officers who was transferred - urging him not to stage a protest. Sharma asked them to maintain the discipline expected of a police force and reminded them that they should not behave like protesters.

He suggested that they go inside the PHQ and meet senior officers, but the personnel initially refused. They asked who exactly they would be meeting before agreeing to wait until noon, saying more personnel were on their way.

45 am, the protesters were taken to the Adarsh Auditorium, where Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and other senior officers, including Special Commissioners of Police, interacted with them. Commissioner Kumar sought to reassure the 500-strong gathering, saying the Prime Minister and the Home Ministry stood with police officers, those at the meeting said.