Delhi Rains: Red Alert Issued After Heavy Rain, Waterlogging At IGI Airport, Traffic Hit

In an interview with India Today, CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka addressed the protest outside Parliament Street Police Station demanding stricter charges against Swatantra Bhardwaj for the alleged assault on Sanjay Kumar. Ranka criticized the Delhi Police for downplaying the assault as a simple injury caused by a kadha, stating, "He should have been arrested in attempt to murder case." He claimed that the police gave verbal assurances to add sections of attempt to murder and the SC/ST Act to the FIR following intervention alongside MP Chandrashekhar Azad. Ranka highlighted purported videos showing Bhardwaj's casteist remarks and alleged political patronage, arguing that the case reflects police bias and a breakdown of law and order in the national capital.

Heavy rainfall in Delhi NCR has caused severe waterlogging and traffic disruptions across the national capital, including central and south Delhi locations such as Connaught Place, Akbar Road, and Lajpat Nagar. Flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport have been impacted due to waterlogging on the premises, leading to delays for arrivals from sectors including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Port Blair. An orange alert was issued ahead of the downpour, with expectations of wind speeds reaching forty to fifty kilometres per hour. The meteorological department has indicated that the active monsoon spell and weather alert will continue across Delhi NCR and parts of north India over the next two days.

A First Information Report filed by the Delhi Police outlines the sequence of events regarding an assault that occurred on 23 June at Jantar Mantar. The dispute began over video recording, leading to an altercation where the victim, Sanjay, was assaulted with a heavy metal bangle. Two accused persons have been named in the case, which has been registered for hurt and wrongful restraint. The medical examination recorded wounds on the victim. Consideration remains on whether additional legal sections, including the SC/ST Act and attempt to murder charges, will be invoked in the ongoing investigation.

Political controversy erupted after viral video statements from Satyendra Bhardwaj triggered fresh confrontations between the opposition, the government, and Delhi Police. The opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress alongside Azad Samaj Party MP Chandrashekhar Azad, accused the authorities of providing patronage to lumpen elements involved in the July 21 violence during student protests at Jantar Mantar. Bhardwaj claimed in an interview that he assaulted Nishu Azad's father, wielded police equipment, and escaped strict action due to political links. Delhi Police issued a fact-check refuting political interference and stating medical reports showed superficial injuries. However, following demands from political leaders and legal representatives who visited Parliament Street Police Station, Delhi Police invoked the SC/ST Act and agreed to conduct a fresh MLC to ascertain if the injuries were grievous enough to warrant an attempt to murder charge.