Delhi Air Pollution Protests Turn Violent, 'Madvi Hidma Amar Rahe' Slogans Echo

A weekend demonstration over Delhi's worsening air quality descended into chaos when a section of protesters at India Gate raised slogans in support of Maoist leader Madvi Hidma, who was killed in an encounter earlier this month.

The unexpected turn added a political edge to what began as a citizen-led outcry against pollution.

Maoist Slogans Stir Controversy at India Gate

Posters praising Madvi Hidma and calls of "Madvi Hidma Amar Rahe" were heard moments before the agitation tipped into violence. One participant carried a poster that read, "From Birsa Munda to Madvi Hidma, the struggle of our forests and environment will go on."

Delhi Police said they will identify those responsible for the slogans. "Those who raised such slogans at India Gate will be identified, and legal action will be taken against them. We will file a case against them," the police stated.

Hidma, born in Sukma in 1981, had been one of the most feared Maoist commanders. Linked to at least twenty six attacks on civilians and security forces, he headed a battalion of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army and was the youngest member of the CPI Maoist Central Committee. He carried a reward of fifty lakh rupees and was involved in major assaults including the 2010 Dantewada strike that killed seventy six CRPF personnel, the 2013 Jhiram Ghati ambush that left twenty seven dead, and the 2021 Sukma Bijapur encounter that killed twenty two security personnel.

Air Pollution Rally Turns Chaotic

What began as a peaceful gathering of citizens highlighting Delhi's toxic air quickly escalated once protesters clashed with police. Officers reported that some participants broke through the C hexagon barricades placed to maintain movement and emergency access.

An official said, "Some of the protesters had entered the C hexagon and attempted to cross the barricades put up to restrict movement. 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. They refused and broke the barricade. When our teams were trying to remove them, some of the protesters attacked police personnel using chilli spray."

Injuries and Detentions

Three to four police personnel were injured and taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for treatment. Authorities have detained fifteen to twenty protesters in connection with the violence, and a case has been filed under sections related to obstructing government work.

Investigation Underway

Police are reviewing footage and eyewitness accounts to identify those responsible for the disruption as well as the Maoist sloganeering that added a volatile twist to the environmental protest. Further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.