India

Delhi Police Respond to Video of Officers Wearing Shoes at Bangla Sahib Gurdwara

By HT News Desk

The Delhi Police issued a statement on Saturday after videos circulated on social media showing police officers entering the premises of Gurdwara Bangla Sahib wearing shoes. The police clarified that the officers were walking through a common passage used by all devotees to reach the gurdwara’s entrance. They added that the passage led to a point where shoes were removed before entering the place of worship, and that the same procedure applies to all devotees. The police said the video was shared with “malicious intent” and aimed at “outraging the feelings of a respectable religious community.” They also announced that legal action would be taken against those circulating the video. The footage appeared while Delhi Police teams were deployed outside the gurdwara to apprehend protesters involved in the anti-CEC agitation called by the Cockroach Janta Party on October 10. On that day, Delhi Police launched a large crackdown across the city, detaining more than 4,000 people in connection with the anti-CEC stir and the CJP’s call for a march to Jantar Mantar. Protesters were bundled away in buses, including Yashaswinee Raje Singh, daughter of former BJP MLA Vikram Singh from Uttar Pradesh, who said she was detained near Bangla Sahib for sitting in a park and is currently held at Keshav Puram police station. The protest, led by Abhijeet Dipke, sought the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Delhi was heavily fortified on Saturday, with more than 40,000 Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel deployed, and barricades and spike strips installed at the protest site. The Delhi Police’s statement was posted on X.