Public fury over Delhi's choking pollution crisis exploded into violence this week, resulting in the arrest of at least 23 protesters after police officers were allegedly attacked with pepper spray.
From Peaceful Protest to Violent Confrontation
The demonstration on Monday began as a rallying cry for serious government action on the Indian capital's hazardous air, the latest in a series of gatherings this month. For the fourth consecutive week, the city has remained blanketed in a toxic haze. According to police, the situation escalated when protesters moved from the designated protest lawns at India Gate to the nearby C-Hexagon road.
A total of 23 individuals were arrested on charges of blocking a road, obstructing police, and using pepper spray against Delhi police personnel, as reported by the PTI news agency. In a further complication, one group was accused of chanting slogans in support of a slain Maoist leader, Madvi Hidma, a tribal guerrilla recently killed by security forces.
Police Account of the Clashes
A senior police officer told local media that some protesters attempted to cross established barricades, blocking emergency vehicles in the process. The clashes reportedly erupted when police tried to clear the road for ambulances caught in the blockade.
"We tried to explain to them that many ambulances and medical personnel were stuck behind them and required emergency access, but they got very agitated," the officer claimed.
Deputy Police Commissioner Devesh Mahla stated that it was "unusual" for demonstrators to use chilli or pepper spray on officers, an act he described as a first in recent memory. Three to four police personnel suffered eye and facial injuries and were subsequently taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for treatment.
Protesters' Motives and Public Anger
The protest was organised by a coalition including students, parents, and the Delhi Coordination Committee for Clean Air. One of the key organising groups, Scientists for Society, issued a statement clarifying that their focus was solely on the severe pollution crisis.
"Our objective was to educate and organise people around the severe pollution crisis, exposing the government and this profit-centric system," they said. While the group "unequivocally condemns these encounters"—referring to the security force operation that killed Hidma—they emphasised that the Delhi protest was "not the appropriate platform to raise this issue." They stressed that ordinary students and citizens joined specifically to address the urgent matter of pollution.
This incident is part of a growing wave of public anger. Last week, residents staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, wearing oxygen masks and carrying gas cylinders to symbolise the city's dystopian environment. A larger protest earlier this month near India Gate also led to detentions.
The environmental data underscores the crisis. On Wednesday, the city's air quality remained in the "very poor" category, with a dangerous citywide index of 337. Neighbourhoods across the National Capital Region recorded persistently unhealthy conditions, causing widespread complaints of burning eyes, coughing, and headaches.
This toxic haze is a recurring winter phenomenon, resulting from a deadly cocktail of vehicular exhaust, industrial emissions, construction dust, and smoke from crop residue burning in neighbouring states, all trapped by stagnant weather patterns. Delhi has ranked among the world's most polluted cities for years, with a study in The Lancet journal linking air pollution to millions of deaths across India over the past decade.
While authorities have reintroduced restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan, including construction bans and work-from-home advisories, these measures are widely seen as insufficient and temporary. The government also faces accusations of withholding data, adding to the public's frustration as the smog persists.
