Priors
Precedents

December 2012 Delhi gang-rape protests

22 Dec 2012 – Dec 2012, Delhi

After the gang rape of a physiotherapy student on a Delhi bus on 16 December 2012, crowds gathered at India Gate and Raisina Hill. On 22 and 23 December police used water cannon, tear gas and lathis, imposed Section 144 and closed central metro stations and roads. A police constable deployed at India Gate died on 25 December; the cause of his death was disputed. The Union government set up the Justice Verma Committee on 23 December to recommend changes to criminal law on sexual assault.

Draft. Written with AI help from the sources listed. Not yet checked by a person. 8 claims are held back until sourced. Report an error

In power
INC: Delhi Police, Centre

What the government did

  1. 22 Dec 2012

    Tear gasPolice, DelhiShare

    On 22 December Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel used water cannon, tear gas and baton charges to push back protesters who gathered at Raisina Hill, near Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament House, and tried to march towards Rashtrapati Bhavan.

    MoreLess · 5 sources

    Some protesters tried to break through barricades, and buses and police vehicles were damaged. Al Jazeera reported that some women protesters were injured when police charged them near a central government building. Delhi Police registered a case of rioting and damage to public property at Parliament Street police station.

    • 35 civilians injured on 22 December, said Delhi Police (spokesperson Rajan Bhagat) [11]
    • 37 police personnel injured on 22 December, said Delhi Police (spokesperson Rajan Bhagat) [11]

    Sources [11][19][9][4][1]

  2. 23 Dec 2012

    Section 144 / 163Police, DelhiShare

    Delhi Police prohibitory orders barred assemblies in central New Delhi, including India Gate, Rajpath and the area near Rashtrapati Bhavan, and police asked protesters to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar or Ramlila Maidan instead.

    MoreLess · 7 sources

    Reports differ on the threshold: PTI reported a ban on four or more people, Al Jazeera on more than five. A public interest petition in the Delhi High Court (WP 8127 of 2012, Anand K. Mishra v. Delhi Police) described the order as dated 22 December and challenged it as a breach of the rights to assemble and move freely; the Additional Solicitor General argued for Delhi Police that protesters were obstructing traffic and that the order was within Section 144, and on 2 January 2013 the Chief Justice's bench reserved orders. The Associated Press reported that on 23 December authorities withdrew the ban on assembly in the high-security zone as crowds converged, while keeping barricades. On 25 December police told protesters at Jantar Mantar that prohibitory orders were in place and no protests were allowed in and around India Gate.

    Legal basis: Section 144 CrPC, 1973 (as reported; the order itself was not found)

    Sources [13][17][22][1][26][35][27]

  3. 23 Dec 2012

    Lathi chargePolice, DelhiShare

    On 23 December police used batons, tear gas and water cannon to clear crowds at India Gate and near Vijay Chowk.

    MoreLess · 8 sources

    Reports describe some protesters throwing stones, burning barricades and overturning vehicles; police said the protest had been joined by hooligans. Journalists' bodies protested at the Press Club of India against police action on reporters. Late on 24 December Delhi Police tweeted an apology to any innocent protester who had been hurt or lathi-charged. In its report the Justice Verma Committee wrote: "The lathi charge on peaceful demonstrators after the December 16 gang rape has scarred the Indian democracy."

    • around 150 tear gas shells fired at India Gate on 23 December, said PTI report [23]
    • about 250 tear gas shells fired at India Gate on 23 December, said The Tribune [29]
    • at least 30 people treated for injuries at a nearby hospital, including several policemen, said Officials (as reported by Al Jazeera) [1]
    • around 100 protesters injured, besides some media personnel, said Delhi Police (as reported by PTI) [23]
    • over 50 civilians hospitalised, said The Tribune [29]
    • 78 police personnel hurt, said Reports cited by The Tribune [29]
    • as many as 40 journalists injured, said Journalists' protest (as reported by The Tribune) [6]

    Sources [7][10][17][29][23][1][6][31]

  4. 23 Dec 2012

    BarricadingPolice, DelhiShare

    On Delhi Police directions, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced late on 22 December that four stations near India Gate would close until further orders, and shut four more on the morning of 23 December.

    MoreLess · 7 sources

    The eight stations shut on 23 December were Race Course, Udyog Bhawan, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Barakhamba Road, Mandi House, Khan Market and Pragati Maidan. On 24 December nine were shut, adding Rajiv Chowk. Police barricaded Rajpath and the road from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan, and traffic police closed the arterial roads leading to India Gate. All nine stations reopened on 25 December.

    • 8 metro stations closed on 23 December, said Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (as reported by The Hindu) [12]
    • 9 metro stations closed on 24 December, said Millennium Post [14]

    Sources [12][14][9][10][2][6][32]

  5. 23 Dec 2012

    Commission of inquiryCentreShare

    The Union government constituted a three-member Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law, chaired by former Chief Justice of India J.

    MoreLess · 2 sources

    S. Verma, with Justice Leila Seth and Gopal Subramanium, to recommend amendments to criminal law for quicker trial and enhanced punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assault. Its report, dated 23 January 2013, says the committee was constituted in response to the country-wide public outcry.

    Legal basis: Gazette Notification No. SO 3003(E) dated 23 December 2012

    Sources [7][5]

  6. 25 Dec 2012

    DetentionPolice, DelhiShare

    On 25 December police detained a group of young women protesters from Jantar Mantar and outside Parliament Street police station for violating prohibitory orders, and released them after about four hours.

    MoreLess · 2 sources

    The women alleged that police manhandled them; police sources denied this and said the group had tried to incite others and break through barricades.

    • 16 women detained, said NDTV report [16]

    Sources [13][16]

Outcome

The Justice Verma Committee reported on 23 January 2013. Its recommendations fed into the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance and Act, 2013.

Background

Who governed at the start of the protest. Each action above counts for the party in power where and when it happened.

Centre government
INCUPA, Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister
State government
INC in Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister
Places
India Gate, Raisina Hill, Vijay Chowk, Rajpath, Jantar Mantar
Cause
Justice for the victim and tougher laws and policing on sexual violence
Organisers
Largely unorganised; students and citizens' groups
Scale
Thousands at India Gate on 23 December; about 3,000 per the Home Minister

What they said

Words in quote marks were matched in the source. Everything else is a summary; open the source for the exact words. Each statement says whether the speaker's party was in power or in opposition at the time.

In power

“The Government also respects the right of legitimate protest.”

At Paragraph beginning 'The government shares the widespread concern'

INCSushilkumar Shinde, Union Home Minister22 Dec 2012[20][19]

In power

“I also feel deeply sad at the turn of events leading to clashes between protesters and police forces.”

At Second paragraph

INCManmohan Singh, Prime Minister24 Dec 2012[8][10]

Sources

  1. 1India widens crackdown on gang-rape protestsAl Jazeera, 24 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 24 Dec 2012
  2. 2Delhi page: Dikshit flays police crackdown; eight metro stations closedThe Tribune, 24 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 31 Dec 2012
  3. 3Shinde justifies police crackdown at India GateInternational Business Times India, Nimisha Nair, 24 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 21 Oct 2019
  4. 4Parties condemn police actionPTI via The Assam Tribune, 22 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 6 Jul 2022
  5. 5Justice Verma Committee report summaryPRS Legislative Research, 23 Jan 2013T5 SecondaryArchived 1 Apr 2021
  6. 6Delhi page: Nine metro stations shut; BJP seeks judicial inquiry into lathichargeThe Tribune, 25 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 31 Dec 2012
  7. 7Report of the Committee on Amendments to Criminal LawCommittee on Amendments to Criminal Law, Government of India (copy held by NYU Faculty Digital Archive), J. S. Verma, Leila Seth, Gopal Subramanium, 23 Jan 2013T2 CourtArchived 9 Jul 2020
  8. 8PM's message for peace, and assurance of all possible efforts to ensure security and safety of womenPrime Minister's Office (archive of Dr. Manmohan Singh's term), 24 Dec 2012T1 RecordArchived 11 Dec 2024
  9. 9India gang-rape protests dispersed by police using teargas and water cannonThe Guardian, Jason Burke, 23 Dec 2012T4 Report
  10. 10India gang rape protests: Manmohan Singh appeals for calmThe Guardian, Jason Burke, 24 Dec 2012T4 Report
  11. 11Riot-like situation sweeps 'helpless' cityDeccan Herald, Vishnu Sukumaran, 23 Dec 2012T4 Report
  12. 128 metro stations shut on SundayThe Hindu, Sowmiya Ashok, 23 Dec 2012T4 ReportArchived 27 Dec 2012
  13. 13Delhi protests: detained girl alleges police harassmentThe Hindu, Shubhomoy Sikdar, 26 Dec 2012T4 ReportArchived 27 Dec 2012
  14. 14Govt shuts Delhi downMillennium Post, Puja Banerjee, 25 Dec 2012T4 Report
  15. 15Police brass faces CM's ireMillennium Post, Dipanshu Roy, 24 Dec 2012T4 ReportArchived 29 Oct 2020
  16. 16Delhi protests: 16 girls detained for four hours, allege manhandling by copsNDTV, Alok Pandey, 25 Dec 2012T4 ReportArchived 25 Dec 2012
  17. 17Weren't even near India Gate, say those accused of riotingNDTV, Tanima Biswas, 26 Dec 2012T4 ReportArchived 26 Dec 2012
  18. 18What killed Constable Tomar? As family grieves, Crime Branch to investigateNDTV, Nitin A Gokhale, 26 Dec 2012T4 ReportArchived 26 Dec 2012
  19. 19In India, demonstrators and police clash at rape protestThe New York Times (republished by NDTV), Gardiner Harris, Hari Kumar, 23 Dec 2012T4 ReportArchived 23 Dec 2012
  20. 20Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's statement on Delhi gang-rapeNDTV, 22 Dec 2012T3 RecordingArchived 23 Dec 2012
  21. 21Shinde appears to equate protesters with MaoistsPTI via Free Press Journal, 24 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  22. 22Anti-rape protesters defy police, prohibitory orders in DelhiPTI via Business Standard, 23 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  23. 23Violence at India Gate, hooligans hijack protestsPTI via Deccan Herald, 23 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  24. 24Row over dead constable, witnesses say he wasn't hitIANS via Deccan Herald, 26 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  25. 25Cop died of heart attack, says autopsyDeccan Herald, 26 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  26. 26PIL filed in Delhi High Court against imposition of S144 in Delhi; matter to be heard by Chief Justice on January 2, 2013Bar & Bench, 28 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  27. 27Thousands protesting gang rape clash with Indian policeAP via The Christian Science Monitor, Ashok Sharma, 23 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 23 Dec 2012
  28. 28Cop beaten up: new witnessMillennium Post, 29 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 26 Oct 2020
  29. 29Main news: PM says anger genuine, promises women's safety; India Gate turns into virtual battlefieldThe Tribune, 24 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 31 Dec 2012
  30. 30Protesters' bid to march to Rashtrapati Bhavan wasn't right: Home Minister Shinde on Delhi gang-rape protestsNDTV, 24 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 24 Dec 2012
  31. 31In late night tweet, Delhi Police expresses 'regret' for violence during protestsNDTV, 25 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 25 Dec 2012
  32. 32Delhi Metro stations openedThe Hindu, 26 Dec 2012T5 SecondaryArchived 27 Dec 2012
  33. 33Cop hurt in rape protest succumbsDeccan Herald, 25 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  34. 34Political parties condemn police action; Swaraj wants spl Parl sessionPTI via Deccan Herald, 22 Dec 2012T5 Secondary
  35. 35Delhi High Court hears PIL against imposition of Section 144 in Delhi; orders reservedBar & Bench, 3 Jan 2013T5 Secondary

Similar precedents

Faded actions are ones this precedent does not share.

2011Ramlila Maidan midnight police action on Baba Ramdev's campINC: Delhi Police, CentreBaba Ramdev's Bharat Swabhiman Trust held a permitted yoga camp at Ramlila Maidan from 1 June 2011 and turned it into a fast against black money on 4 June. Late that night Delhi Police withdrew the permission, imposed a Section 144 order and cleared the ground after midnight with tear gas; one participant, Rajbala, later died of her injuries. The Supreme Court took suo motu notice and in February 2012 found that the action suffered from arbitrariness and, to some extent, abuse of power, and ordered compensation and action against police personnel. Permission grantedNegotiationPermission deniedSection 144 / 163Tear gasLathi chargeDetentionOther2017Jallikattu protests in Tamil Nadu, January 2017AIADMK: Tamil Nadu; BJP: CentreFrom 16 January 2017 students and youth gathered in Alanganallur and then on Marina Beach, Chennai, to demand that jallikattu be allowed despite a Supreme Court ban. The AIADMK government obtained Union clearance for an ordinance, promulgated on 21 January, and the Assembly passed a replacement Act on 23 January. On the morning of 23 January police evicted the Marina crowd and used lathis and tear gas during clashes. Police later imposed Section 144 on the Marina, and the state set up a commission of inquiry into the violence. NegotiationConcessionOtherLathi chargeTear gasSection 144 / 163Commission of inquiry2019–20Anti-CAA protests and the Shaheen Bagh sit-in, December 2019 - March 2020BJP: Delhi Police, Uttar Pradesh, KarnatakaProtests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 spread across India in December 2019. Delhi Police entered the Jamia Millia Islamia campus on 15 December 2019, and the same day a sit-in led largely by women closed the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh road in Delhi. Uttar Pradesh, governed by the BJP under Yogi Adityanath, imposed Section 144 statewide, suspended mobile internet in many districts and demanded payment for property damage from protesters. Delhi Police cleared Shaheen Bagh on 24 March 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, and the Supreme Court later held that public ways cannot be occupied indefinitely for protest. Lathi chargeTear gasFiringSection 144 / 163Internet shutdownOtherUAPA charge

Entry last updated 15 Oct 2026. Something wrong or missing? Edit content/precedents/delhi-gang-rape-protests-2012.yaml