Four arrested over viral video of students, women allegedly assaulted by right-wing group

Four men claiming to be members of the right-wing Hindu Raksha Dal have been arrested after a video purportedly showing young students being assaulted and women being pushed and hit on a road in central Delhi went viral on October 10, the day of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest.

The incident reportedly took place on DDU Marg, which falls under the jurisdiction of Kamla Market police station. The arrests came a day after the protest, amid a wider security operation in the national capital that saw widespread detentions.

The accused have been identified as Raman Saini, 50; Vivekanand alias Vivek, 32; Kapil Kumar, 27; and Ravinder Singh alias Govind Hindu, 35. A senior police official confirmed that the four men claimed to be associated with the Hindu Raksha Dal.

Viral footage leads police to DDU Marg

The footage began circulating on social media on October 10, when students were attempting to assemble at various locations in Delhi. Initially, the precise location of the incident was unclear to the police, as the video was shared widely across social media groups.

Police sources said security personnel deployed across the city to carry out verification and checks amid the large-scale detentions subsequently established that the incident had occurred on DDU Marg.

The video purportedly shows young students being hit and shoved, with women also appearing to face physical aggression. A police officer can reportedly be seen at the scene while the alleged assault is taking place.

Police act despite no formal complaint

No formal complaint had reportedly been filed over the incident. However, a senior police official said the force received confidential information indicating that the accused might leave the Delhi-NCR region and go into hiding.

The police then initiated suo motu action, traced the four men and arrested them, the official said.

Political groups share video online

The footage has been widely circulated on social media, including by accounts associated with the Indian Youth Congress, the All India Students' Association (AISA) and the CJP.

Its circulation brought renewed attention to the alleged assault during a day marked by heightened security and efforts to prevent protesters from assembling at different locations in the capital.