Delhi air pollution protest turns violent: 22 arrested after pepper-spraying on-duty cops

A protest over rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR took a sharp turn on Sunday when at least 22 protesters were arrested for allegedly using pepper spray against police officers, authorities said.

The protest unfolded at the C-hexagon near India Gate, where protesters had gathered to demand stronger government intervention amid dangerously poor air quality. According to police, the group refused repeated orders to disperse and attempted to breach barricades installed to control movement.

Officers say they warned the crowd that ambulances and medical personnel were blocked by the protesters and needed unfettered access. But when demonstrators ignored the warnings and sat down on the road, tensions escalated.

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“As we tried to remove them, some protesters attacked police personnel using chilli spray,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Devesh Kumar Mahla, told IANS.

“This matter is also under thorough investigation, and strict action will certainly be taken… An FIR has been registered under various sections, including against the use of force against the police, road blockades, and the use of chilli spray,” he said.

He added that three to four officers suffered irritation in their eyes and faces and were admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital for treatment.

#WATCH | Delhi: A group of protesters holds a protest at India Gate over air pollution in Delhi-NCR. They were later removed from the spot by police personnel pic.twitter.com/DBEZTeET0U

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2025

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Two First Information Reports (FIRs) has been filed under multiple legal sections, including “obstruction of government work,” according to officials.

At Kartavya Path Police Station, six male protesters have been arrested under BNS sections 74, 79, 115(2), 132, 221, 223, and 61(2). The second FIR has been registered at Sansad Marg Police Station, in which other protesters have been arrested. They have been booked under BNS sections 223A, 132, 221, 121A, 126(2), and 3(5).

Delhi Police say this appears to be the first instance of demonstrators using pepper or chilli spray during a crowd-control operation in the capital.

The Delhi Coordination Committee for Clean Air, a prominent protest organiser, slammed the arrests in a statement. The group warned that the city’s toxic air is now a “serious risk” to public health and accused authorities of relying on superficial measures—like water sprinklers, cloud seeding, and spot spraying—rather than tackling the deep-rooted causes of pollution.

The incident comes just days after earlier protests at India Gate, where protestors had already voiced frustration over what they called an “air emergency” in the capital.