Delhi Police Claim 989 People With Criminal Records Were Present at NEET Protest; Murder and Rape Accused Among Those Identified
An internal Delhi Police report has claimed that 989 individuals with serious criminal antecedents, including persons accused in cases of murder, rape, kidnapping, robbery and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, were identified among those present at and around the recent NEET protest held at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The findings emerged from a security review conducted after the protest turned violent during the “Sansad Chalo” march.
According to police, a facial recognition-based verification exercise and background checks were carried out on 2,873 individuals present in and around the protest venue. Of these, 989 were found to have criminal records. The internal report states that the identified group included 101 persons accused in murder cases, 61 accused in rape cases, besides individuals facing charges related to kidnapping, dacoity, robbery, extortion, and other serious offences. Authorities clarified that these are criminal antecedents or pending cases and do not necessarily amount to convictions.
The scrutiny was undertaken as part of a broader investigation into the violence that erupted during the July 20 protest, where demonstrators allegedly clashed with police personnel, damaged public property and attempted to breach security barricades while marching towards Parliament. Delhi Police have already registered multiple FIRs in connection with the unrest and are examining CCTV footage, drone recordings and digital evidence to identify those responsible for acts of violence.
Police officials said the objective of the verification exercise was to assess the security risks posed by the presence of habitual offenders at large public gatherings. Investigators are also examining whether individuals with criminal backgrounds played any role in provoking violence, coordinating unlawful activities or exploiting the protest to evade law enforcement. The report forms part of an internal law-and-order assessment and may be used in ongoing investigations.
The findings have triggered a political controversy, with supporters of the police action arguing that the report exposes the infiltration of organised criminal elements into public demonstrations. On the other hand, opposition voices and civil liberties groups have cautioned that the mere presence of persons with criminal antecedents at a protest does not establish their involvement in violence and have called for individual accountability based on evidence rather than broad generalisations.
The Delhi Police investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to analyse surveillance footage, digital records and forensic evidence. Officials have indicated that further arrests and additional charges may follow as the investigation progresses and the role of individual participants is determined through evidence collected during the probe.
