A 14-year-old activist associated with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has alleged that people surrounded her home and pelted it with stones and bricks Saturday night, hours after social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was arrested in connection with the alleged assault on her father during a CJP protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
In a series of videos posted on X, the minor alleged that people she described as “goons” had gathered outside her residence and sought immediate protection from the Delhi and Ghaziabad police. She also alleged that those gathered outside were associated with the BJP. There was no immediate independent confirmation of that allegation.
In one of the videos, the teenager expressed concern for the safety of her parents and questioned who would be responsible if they were harmed. In another, she alleged that stones and bricks had been thrown at the house.
NSUI leader visits family
NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar subsequently visited the family’s residence and questioned the police over what he alleged was a delay in acting against those accused in the earlier assault case. Jakhar claimed that despite a case having been registered, stringent action was taken only after the controversy gained wider political attention.
The latest allegations came hours after Bhardwaj was arrested by Delhi Police in connection with the assault on the minor’s father during the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar. Bhardwaj had been detained from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh Friday and brought to Delhi.
A court subsequently granted police one-day custody of Bhardwaj. Police had also added provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation to the case. A separate FIR under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered following a complaint by the minor alleging online threats and harassment.
Jantar Mantar assault row
The controversy stems from an altercation during a CJP protest at Jantar Mantar earlier this year in which the teenager’s father, Sanjay Kumar, suffered a head injury. Bhardwaj later drew attention after claiming during an online interview that he had severely injured Kumar, though he subsequently said he had acted in self-defence.
Delhi Police earlier said Kumar’s injury had been medically classified as “simple” and was caused by a steel bracelet, or kada. Police have also rejected allegations of political interference in their handling of the case, maintaining that the investigation was conducted according to legal procedure.
Bhardwaj’s arrest followed renewed protests by CJP members and demands for stricter action against him. Security was also tightened outside Parliament Street police station Saturday after his supporters gave a call for a protest, with barricades and paramilitary personnel deployed as a precautionary measure.
The alleged stone-pelting at the minor activist’s residence has now added another dimension to the controversy, with the teenager seeking police protection for herself and her family.