CJP protest slap video: Senior Delhi cop who assaulted woman protester, removed from Jantar Mantar
PTC News Desk: Delhi Police officer whose video went viral as he slapped a woman protestor in New Delhi on July 20, was removed from the protest site of Jantar Mantar.
Calls for action against a senior Delhi Police officer grew on social media after protesters identified him as Sandeep Lamba, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for the North East district. Delhi Police has since removed him from duty at the protest site with immediate effect.
The demand followed a 36-second video that went viral online, showing Lamba allegedly slapping a woman near the Parliament complex as she appeared to be running while police chased protesters.
Action against Lamba came after the incident was raised during a hearing in the Delhi High Court. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, told a bench led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia that the officer should be held accountable. Referring to the viral video, he said the woman was not resisting and urged the court to summon the officer. Meanwhile, former Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale also filed a police complaint against Lamba.
Before the controversy, Lamba had been associated with several community outreach programmes, including organising self-defence training sessions in schools, felicitating participants in girls' football and kabaddi tournaments, and addressing students on women's empowerment.
However, since Monday, the officer has been at the centre of the controversy after being temporarily deployed in New Delhi to oversee security arrangements during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest march towards Parliament. According to people familiar with the matter, he was removed from duty in the New Delhi district following the backlash over the viral videos circulating on social media.
- With inputs from agencies
