Video of Mumbai Police Officer Grabbing Woman Protester Sparks Political Row
A fresh controversy has erupted over a video showing a Mumbai Police officer allegedly grabbing a woman protester during a demonstration by the Campaign for Justice and Peace (CJP). The video, widely shared on social media, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, while police officials maintain that the incident is being misread.
The footage appears to show a plainclothes officer with his hand on or near the chest of a woman protester as he moves through a crowd, looking back and calling for reinforcements. The incident occurred during a police operation to disperse a gathering.
Mumbai Police rejected allegations of misconduct. DCP (Operations) Akbar Pathan said senior officers reviewed the footage and found the officer was attempting to apprehend a male protester when a woman stepped in. 'The video in reference is being irresponsibly misinterpreted. The official was trying to hold on to a male protester and a lady stepped in while he was looking away. Senior officers have verified all the facts and minutely assessed the video to derive the facts,' Pathan stated.
Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad shared the video on X, tagging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and questioned why a male officer was physically handling a young woman protester instead of letting female personnel intervene. She demanded action against the officer, calling the incident 'unacceptable'.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar also demanded strict action, alleging the officer's conduct had brought disrepute to the Maharashtra Police. He said if the man was indeed an officer, he should be dismissed, not just suspended, and booked for outraging the woman's modesty.
Responding to Pawar, BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban accused him of trying to malign Mumbai Police for political gain. Ban said the video showed officers rushing to apprehend a man in a blue shirt and argued there was no evidence the officer had deliberately misbehaved with the woman. He urged leaders not to make public allegations without verifying facts first.
The row comes days after another viral video in which a constable was heard allegedly threatening protesters by saying he would plant '50 grams of powder' on them and send them to jail. Following public outrage, police ordered an inquiry and transferred the constable.
Screenshots purportedly showing police asking protesters to share their live locations have also circulated recently. Sources said police top brass has since told officers to exercise greater restraint while handling protesters, particularly young demonstrators.
