Delhi Police identified thousands of individuals with criminal records who infiltrated a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar [1].
The findings suggest that a peaceful student movement may have been targeted by habitual offenders, raising concerns about the security and integrity of public demonstrations in New Delhi.
According to an internal police report, officials used a facial-recognition system to monitor the crowds following violence in July 2024 [3]. The system was deployed during a three-day scrutiny period to flag repeat offenders who could potentially disrupt the gathering [3].
Reports on the number of individuals with criminal backgrounds vary across sources. One report cited by India Today said that 989 persons had criminal antecedents out of a total of 2,873 people present at the protest [1]. Another report said the figure was over 980 people [2]. However, a separate report indicated that more than 2,500 people with criminal backgrounds were identified during the three-day period [3].
The police scrutiny reportedly uncovered a wide range of criminal histories among those present. The identified individuals included people with records for serious crimes, including murder, and rape [2].
Delhi Police said the technology was necessary to distinguish between peaceful protesters and those with a history of violence. The operation focused on identifying those who use public protests as cover for illegal activities or to incite unrest within a legitimate movement [1], [2].
“Delhi Police identified thousands of individuals with criminal records who infiltrated a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest.”
The use of facial-recognition technology to screen protesters highlights a growing tension between public surveillance and the right to assemble. By identifying a significant number of habitual offenders within a student-led movement, the Delhi Police are framing the presence of criminals as a justification for high-tech monitoring, while simultaneously suggesting that peaceful protests are vulnerable to infiltration by bad actors.
