‘Very distressing’ : SC judge Ujjal Bhuyan flags police assault on Jantar Mantar protesters

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday described reports of police personnel assaulting protesting students and demonstrators at Jantar Mantar as “distressing” and said the conduct was a matter of “grave concern”.

Bhuyan made the remarks at the launch of Policing the Republic, a book authored by former secretary (security) Yashovardhan Azad. The event was held at Viceroy Hall in the national capital.

“All of us are dismayed when we see young officers of the Indian Police Service personally going and assaulting protesters and demonstrators. This is something very, very distressing to observe,” Bhuyan said.

He said the detachment expected from police officers appeared to be diminishing.

“The detachment expected of police officers somehow seems to be disappearing, and this is indeed a matter of grave concern,” he added.

The remarks come amid controversy over the handling of protests at Jantar Mantar, where students and other demonstrators have alleged that police personnel used force against them during recent demonstrations.

Bhuyan did not refer to any individual officer or specific case while making the remarks.

Congress MP P Chidambaram, former Maharashtra Director General of Police D Sivanandhan and several others attended the book launch.

The event focused on policing and its role in a democratic republic, with Bhuyan's remarks highlighting concerns over the conduct of police personnel while dealing with public protests.