The organisers of a protest against air pollution in Delhi on Sunday alleged that they were repeatedly pressured by police officials to cancel the demonstration.

The protest took place at the Mansingh Road near India Gate on Sunday evening, on a day when the national capital recorded an air quality index in the “very poor” category at 370.

Among the protestors were environmental activists, journalists, young persons and civil society members.

One of the organisers, who asked not to be named, told Scroll that the police threatened to file first information reports against those behind the agitation. “…But despite nearly 100 calls over the past three days – from DCP (deputy commissioner of police] to SHOs [station house officers] – the organisers decided to go ahead with the protest,” he said.

The organiser said the fact that India Gate has for several years been cordoned off and closed to peaceful demonstrations was reason enough for Delhi’s citizens to gather there and protest against a public health emergency.

Another organiser told Scroll that she received several calls from the police, pressuring her to cancel the protest. She said officers repeatedly asked her to post on social media and on instant messaging group chats, telling people not to show up.

The police also visited the home of one of the organisers, and even questioned his previous landlord about his location, one of those behind the protest alleged.

Scroll tried to contact Manoj Kumar Singh, the station house officer of the Kartavya Path police station, to seek a response, but did not get a reply. This article will be updated if he responds.

The police detained several of the protestors, including some senior citizens, who had gathered near India Gate around 5.45 pm. Those detained were taken to the Narela and Bawana police stations, Scroll has learnt.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla told PTI that the detentions were preventive in nature. “Only Jantar Mantar is designated as a protest site where permission can be sought by following the due procedure,” he said.

An unidentified police official also told the news agency that some individuals were detained as there was no permission to hold a protest at the India Gate.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi district) Anand Kumar Mishra had on Saturday written to the organisers of the protest, saying that demonstrations were not allowed at India Gate in view of security and law and order concerns.

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