Police detain 15 people during Delhi pollution protest; officials say youth ‘pepper sprayed’ cops

New Delhi: Students detained during demonstrations against rising pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region were taken to the Parliament Street Police Station, where they are undergoing medical examinations, officials said on Monday. 

The detentions followed Sunday’s protest at the C-hexagon, where 15 individuals were taken into custody after allegedly refusing to disperse despite repeated warnings from the police.

Officials confirmed that an FIR has been registered under multiple sections, including those related to obstruction of government work. Delhi Police said around 15 people were arrested, with some picked up from India Gate and others from outside the Parliament Street police station.

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Authorities alleged that the group used pepper spray during the protest, causing irritation to three to four policemen, who were subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment.

According to officials, several protesters had moved into the C-hexagon area and attempted to cross barricades placed to regulate movement.

Police personnel explained to them that ambulances and medical teams were stuck behind the blockade and needed urgent passage, but the protesters allegedly became “agitated”.

Sensing that the situation could escalate into a confrontation, officers advised the demonstrators to step back. However, officials said the protesters ignored the instructions, broke through the barricades, moved onto the road and sat down, forcing the police to intervene.

The group was removed from the C-hexagon to prevent further disruption to traffic in the busy zone.

This incident came just days after several people were detained on November 9 at India Gate during a “clean air protest”, where participants demanded immediate government intervention and stricter policies to address what they described as an “air emergency” in the national Capital.

The protests have been taking place as visibility dropped across several parts of the city as the toxic haze thickened, prompting renewed health warnings from authorities.

Neighbouring NCR cities are also struggling with deteriorating air quality. Faridabad reported an AQI of 358, Gurugram 370, Ghaziabad 355, Greater Noida 342, and Noida 372.

While most Delhi localities are hovering between AQI 300 and 400, several pockets have already breached the 400 mark, slipping into the ‘severe’ category. Officials say conditions may worsen if wind speeds remain low.

Amid rising pollution levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management for NCR and adjoining areas on Saturday revised the Graded Response Action Plan.

In a press release, the CAQM said measures earlier reserved for the ‘severe’ category under GRAP Stage IV would now be enforced at Stage III.

The steps include ensuring an uninterrupted power supply to reduce diesel generator use, deploying additional personnel at traffic congestion hotspots, issuing pollution alerts across media platforms, and expanding CNG and electric public transport fleets with increased service frequency, along with differential fares to promote off-peak travel.

Several measures earlier placed under Stage III for the ‘very poor’ category have now been moved to Stage II. These include staggered working hours for government offices in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

The Centre may also consider staggered timings for its offices in the region.

Restrictions previously meant for Stage IV during severe AQI, such as allowing public, municipal, and private offices to function with only 50 per cent staff and requiring the remaining employees to work from home, will now be applicable at Stage III.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has directed private offices to operate with 50 per cent on-site staff and allow the rest to work from home as a precautionary measure, as the capital continues to grapple with deteriorating air quality.