Delhi Police Crack Down on Misleading Jantar Mantar Protest Videos

The Delhi Police have initiated legal action against social media handles accused of circulating misleading videos that falsely suggested protests were continuing at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The police have issued takedown notices to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) to remove the contentious content.

The action follows the circulation of several videos across social media platforms claiming to show “live” protests at Jantar Mantar as recently as August 3. The 36-day protest by a group at the location had ended over a week before. The videos, some of which gathered millions of views, prompted various government departments to seek clarification from the police about the resumption of demonstrations.

A senior Delhi Police official told The Hindu that the content removal process is underway. “There are a large number of misleading videos circulating across social media platforms. We have verified that no such protests have happened and issued takedown notices to Meta and X for the removal of the misleading content. We have also started identifying the handles and warning them of legal action if the behaviour continues,” the official said. The official added that no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered so far.

The government’s fact-check unit, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check, has also stepped in to counter the viral claims. It said videos circulating under titles such as “Jantar Mantar Season 2” and “Jantar Mantar protest session 2.0” falsely claimed that protests had resumed in New Delhi. “The viral videos are old, and an attempt is being made to mislead people by sharing them with a misleading context,” the unit said in a post on X, urging the public to remain cautious while sharing unverified content online.

Among the videos circulating widely was footage from July 19 and 20 showing New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma and Joint Commissioner Deepak Purohit interacting with protest organisers. In the footage, the officers were heard explaining that Jantar Mantar was not suited for a demonstration of that scale, citing inadequate volunteer arrangements, the possibility of “criminal elements” entering the gathering, and repeated warnings allegedly issued to the organisers before the protest.

The footage resurfaced on Monday, August 3, creating the impression that protests had resumed. The police action follows a visit by student representatives to Jantar Mantar to verify similar claims circulating online. They found no evidence of any protests after July 28 and urged action against accounts spreading misleading content.

The police have said they are continuing to monitor social media platforms for similar content and have advised the public to verify information from official sources before sharing it. The development highlights the challenges posed by misinformation, especially during events of public interest, and underscores the need for platforms to act swiftly against false content.