Delhi Police Arrest 22 in Anti-Pollution Protest

Delhi Police arrested 22 protesters on Sunday evening after a demonstration against worsening air pollution near India Gate turned chaotic, with participants allegedly using pepper spray on officers and displaying posters of a slain Maoist commander. The unrest unfolded at the C-Hexagon area in central Delhi, where the group blocked traffic without prior permission, prompting a police dispersal that led to scuffles and two separate investigations.

The protest began around evening on November 23, as demonstrators, many of them college students, gathered to highlight the national capital's toxic air, which had an Air Quality Index of 381 that morning, falling into the very poor category according to the Central Pollution Control Board. Officers reported that the group jumped over barricades, sat on the road for more than an hour, and ignored requests to clear the way, disrupting ambulances and other emergency access. When police moved to remove them, several protesters allegedly sprayed pepper spray into officers' eyes, injuring some who required treatment at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. A subsequent clash occurred near Parliament Street police station, where the group reportedly...