Delhi Police Personnel At Jantar Mantar Drop Name Tags To Avoid Social Media Targeting

Police personnel deployed at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar were allowed to remain without name tags as a “deliberate measure” aimed at preventing them from being identified and targeted on social media, officials familiar with the matter said.

The move followed concerns raised after the July 20 violence during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) march, when several police personnel were allegedly identified and targeted online, the officials said.

Why Were Police Personnel Not Wearing Name Tags?

The CJP had called the July 20 march after weeks of protests and a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. Thousands of demonstrators attempted to march towards Parliament, demanding the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks.

Police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse the protesters after they attempted to breach multiple layers of barricades. Videos circulated on social media appeared to show some protesters being assaulted, while Delhi Police maintained that the use of force became necessary after the demonstrators turned violent.

During the first day of protests against Gyanesh Kumar on Friday, several protesters photographed and recorded police personnel while questioning the absence of name tags.

In videos circulated online, some personnel said their tags had fallen off during the commotion, while others claimed they had forgotten to attach them. Some said they had deliberately removed the tags to prevent them from falling off, while several declined to comment.

Officials said the decision was based on concerns raised during internal reviews following the July protests.

Police Families Allegedly Targeted Online

Senior officers involved in crowd management reportedly told their superiors during review meetings that they and their families had been identified and targeted on social media after the July CJP protests.

“Many officers said their families were called out by friends or in social circles. Some officers even reported that their families had been deliberately targeted by colleagues at work and through memes on social media,” a police officer familiar with the discussions said.

Following the review, officers involved in crowd management were reportedly assured that no action would be taken against personnel who removed their name tags while performing their duties within the law.

“While most IPS [Indian Police Service] officers, who are easily identified by the public, chose to retain their tags at Jantar Mantar this time, many junior personnel were allowed to be on the ground without wearing their tags,” the officer said.

The officer also alleged that some influencers were posing as media personnel and deliberately targeting police officers.

Name-Tag Practice In Conflict Zones

Security forces have previously followed a no-name-tags strategy in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir. In photographs from anti-insurgency operations, the faces of special forces personnel are also often blurred.

However, the decision to remove name tags at Jantar Mantar drew criticism, particularly amid allegations of police excesses during the July protests.

Experts said there are no written rules specifically mandating whether personnel must wear or remove their name tags, adding that avoiding identification has long been an operational practice in conflict zones where personnel could face targeting.

Civilians In Police Clothing Also Came Under Scrutiny

During the July protests, several people in civilian clothes who claimed to be police personnel were caught on camera allegedly attacking protesters.

Social media influencers also identified some of these individuals, with claims that they were not members of the Delhi Police.

Self-styled influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was arrested for allegedly assaulting a 38-year-old man during the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar.

Police Check People Posing As Journalists

A second police officer said authorities had specifically focused on influencers allegedly posing as media personnel during the latest protests.

“Time will tell the role or impact of the influencers in these protests, but one should acknowledge that there is a section of influencers who are deliberately doing live sessions or recording videos to make memes,” the officer said.

“These influencers are identifying and targeting some officers. Some are also interviewing police personnel on the ground to make memes. This is why the identity cards of people posing as reporters are being checked,” the officer added.

Police Conduct Anti-Riot Drills Ahead Of Protests

Ahead of the protests against Gyanesh Kumar, Delhi Police and central armed police forces (CAPF) conducted anti-riot drills and training sessions.

Police and CAPF personnel had faced criticism over their handling of student protests in July. Several personnel were captured on camera allegedly slapping, assaulting and deliberately tripping protesters.

Following the earlier protests, Delhi Police personnel were trained to remain composed when approached by influencers carrying phones and questioning them.

In a separate review after the July demonstrations, the CRPF’s Rapid Action Force reportedly barred its personnel from giving interviews.