Delhi Police issued a formal clarification on Saturday after a video circulated on social media appeared to show police officials entering the premises of Gurdwara Bangla Sahib while wearing shoes. The police statement emphasized that the officers were walking through a shared corridor used by all worshippers to reach the entrance of the Sikh shrine, not breaching any religious protocol.
Clarification of the footage
According to the police, the passage depicted in the video is a common walkway that leads to the point where devotees remove their footwear before stepping inside the holy site. The department attached the same video to its statement, asserting that the process of taking off shoes is identical for every visitor, including police personnel. By highlighting this detail, the force argued that the visual impression of misconduct was misleading.
The police further accused the online circulation of the clip of having “malicious intent” and of seeking to “outrage the feelings of a respectable religious community.” In response, the department announced that legal action would be initiated against individuals responsible for spreading the material, describing the act as an attempt to portray the police in a negative light.
Context of the police deployment
The video emerged at a time when Delhi Police units were stationed outside Bangla Sahib to monitor and potentially detain participants in an anti‑Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) demonstration organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The protest, scheduled for October 10, called for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
On the same day, the police launched a city‑wide crackdown, detaining more than 4,000 individuals in connection with the anti‑CEC agitation and the CJP’s planned march to Jantar Mantar. Among those taken into custody was Yashaswinee Raje Singh, the daughter of former Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Vikram Singh. She posted on X that she had been detained near Bangla Sahib while sitting in a park and that she was being held at Keshav Puram police station. Yashaswinee had previously gained prominence during the June–July student protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks, and she had actively supported the CJP campaign at that time.
Authorities described the city’s security posture on Saturday as a “fortress,” deploying more than 40,000 personnel from Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). Barricades and spike strips were installed in anticipation of the CJP‑led protest at Jantar Mantar, which is being coordinated by Abhijeet Dipke. The extensive deployment underscored the government’s determination to prevent any disruption to public order during the high‑profile demonstration.
Legal and community implications
By labeling the video’s spread as malicious, Delhi Police signaled a willingness to pursue criminal proceedings against those they deem responsible for inflaming communal sensitivities. The department’s stance reflects a broader concern about the potential for visual content on social media to be weaponized against public institutions, especially in a city as diverse as Delhi where religious sentiments are closely guarded.
The clarification also serves to reassure the Sikh community that the police are aware of and respect the customs associated with Gurdwara Bangla Sahib. The shrine, located in the heart of the capital, regularly welcomes thousands of devotees, and the removal of shoes before entering is a standard practice observed by all visitors, irrespective of their occupation.
While the police have not disclosed the identity of the individuals or platforms responsible for the video’s dissemination, the announcement of forthcoming legal action suggests that investigations are already underway. The department’s statement did not specify the exact legal provisions that would be invoked, but it emphasized that the intent behind the video was to tarnish the police’s image.
Observers note that the incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened political activity in Delhi, with multiple groups mobilizing around electoral reforms and governance issues. The CJP’s demand for the CEC’s resignation has drawn significant public attention, prompting authorities to adopt a robust security framework to manage potential unrest.
In summary, Delhi Police maintain that the footage showing officers in shoes at Bangla Sahib was captured in a shared access corridor, that the video’s circulation was intended to provoke communal offense, and that legal measures will be taken against those responsible for its spread. The clarification comes amid a broader law‑enforcement operation aimed at containing a large‑scale protest against the Chief Election Commissioner.
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