The Delhi Police have filed two FIRs in connection with a protest that was organised at India Gate C-Hexagon yesterday against the air pollution situation in the national capital. The police have registered two FIRs at two separate police stations and have taken into custody a total of 22 people so far in connection with the protest.
The police said the first FIR has been filed at the Kartavya Path Police Station under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Sections 74, 79, 115(2), 132, 221, 223, and 61(2) and six male protesters have been arrested under the same. The second FIR has been registered at the Sansad Marg Police Station, in which other protesters have been arrested. They have been booked under BNS sections 223A, 132, 221, 121A, 126(2), and 3(5).
The Delhi Police earlier said in a statement that a group yesterday held a protest at India Gate over air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region. However, the protesters carried posters of Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was recently killed in an encounter with security forces.
“When they tried to block the road, the police tried to remove them, but they sprayed pepper spray on the police personnel and tried to attack them. The police are now taking legal action against them,” the statement read.
Some of those reportedly detained in connection with the protest were students, but it was not immediately clear if they have also been arrested.
#WATCH | Delhi: A group of protesters holds a protest at India Gate over air pollution in Delhi-NCR. They were later removed from the spot by police personnel pic.x.com/DBEZTeET0U
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2025
The police had earlier stated that the protesters had ignored repeated warnings and refused to disperse. They had even attempted to cross the barricades that had been placed to regulate movement.
Meanwhile, commenting on yesterday’s protest during which posters of Naxalite Madvi Hidma were seen, BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain claimed that the protest was an excuse to target the Narendra Modi government.
“Pollution was merely an excuse for the protest that took place in Delhi yesterday. Their real aim was to target the government over Hidma’s encounter. These are ‘Urban Naxals’ who come in disguise, and these are ‘Protest Jeevis’… The way slogans were raised in support of Hidma is totally unacceptable… Action should be taken against such ‘Urban Naxals’. Anyone raising a voice in support of Naxalites and terrorists in this country will not be spared,” Hussain said.
Yesterday’s incident came just days after several people held a similar “clean air protest” on November 9 at India Gate. Many of the protesters were detained then as well while they were demanding immediate government intervention and stricter policies to address the “air emergency” in the national capital.
Delhi has been plagued by a thick, toxic haze this winter, prompting health warnings from authorities. Most Delhi areas are hovering between AQI 300 and 400, while several localities have even breached the 400 mark, entering into the ‘severe’ category.