Delhi Police denies claim of detention over food being taken to Jantar Mantar, calls allegation ‘false, misleading’

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) The Delhi Police has dismissed as “false and misleading” a viral claim circulating on social media that three young boys were detained at Nizamuddin Police Station for carrying food to Jantar Mantar.

The clarification was issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), South East District, after an X user alleged that “three young boys have been detained by the Delhi Police at Nizamuddin Police Station for carrying food to Jantar Mantar.”

The original social media post stated: “Three young boys have been detained by the @DelhiPolice at Nizamuddin Police Station for carrying food to Jantar Mantar. Yes, you read that right! Several reports of young kids being detained for no reason…”

Responding to the post on X, the DCP South East Delhi categorically rejected the allegation, posting: “The claim of boys being detained at Nizammudin Police station for carrying food to Jantar Mantar is FALSE and MISLEADING.”

The police also released an official clarification detailing the sequence of events. According to the statement, “Police personnel did not stop or prevent any individual from carrying food items.”

Explaining the incident, the Delhi Police said the vehicle was stopped as part of routine security checks. “As part of routine picket/checkpost duty, the vehicle was stopped only to verify the identity of the occupants and ascertain their point of origin and destination,” the clarification stated.

The police further said that “While IDs were being verified, the driver of the vehicle left the spot along with the vehicle and belongings.”

According to the clarification, “On enquiry, the occupants stated that the food items were being taken to the protest site.” It also noted that “The driver had been arranged by one of the occupants’ friends and was not personally known to them.”

The statement added that “Till the time the driver left, the deployed staff were not even aware that the food was meant for protestors.”

Rejecting allegations of wrongful detention, the Delhi Police maintained that officers were only carrying out standard verification procedures. The clarification concluded: “Police personnel were performing routine picket checking and verification duty as mandated. The claim being made is baseless and malicious, and appears intended to misrepresent a standard verification procedure.”

The official clarification was issued by the DCP, South East District, Delhi Police, in response to the viral social media claims regarding the alleged detention of the youths.

–IANS

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