NHRC said it had received complaints from Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation and another organisation. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Saturday (October 3, 2026) took cognisance of allegations that minors were involved in a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest in Mumbai on Friday (October 2, 2026) and that their images were circulated online.
Based on complaints from Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation and another organisation, the commission directed the Mumbai Police to investigate the matter and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within one week.
The organisations cited posts on X allegedly showing a young child being held above a crowd carrying the National Flag and a placard, while slogans were raised and people recorded the child.
The complaints alleged that persons associated with the Cockroach Janta Party had involved minors in the protest and called for the roles of the organisers, accompanying adults and others who facilitated their participation to be examined.
The complaints also cited purported group chats in which the participation of minors in the protest was allegedly planned, with some participants suggesting that their status as minors could prevent the police from detaining them. The commission said the material indicated that some persons described as minors were also part of these discussions and had allegedly agreed to participate.
Stating that the allegations raised concerns over the dignity, safety, privacy and possible exploitation of children, a Bench headed by NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo directed the Mumbai Police to examine how the children came to be involved in the October 2 gathering and investigate the roles of organisers, coordinators, accompanying adults and others who may have facilitated their participation. The police have also been asked to examine the other allegations made in the complaints.
The NHRC names Ajinkya Shinde, Abhijit Dipke and Saurav Das among those whose roles and communications are to be examined, while making clear that responsibility must be determined based on evidence.
The commission has also directed X Corp. to preserve the digital trail linked to the content, including account details, URLs, post IDs, timestamps and metadata, and provide information on any moderation or enforcement action taken.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been asked to examine X Corp.’s compliance with legal and regulatory obligations relating to child safety, preservation of information and assistance to law enforcement agencies.
The NHRC has also directed the Principal Secretary, Maharashtra Women and Child Development Department, to ensure rescue, care and protection of children as per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
Mumbai Police registers FIR against protest organisers
Meanwhile, an FIR was registered at the Shivaji Park police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act, based on a complaint, made by Shivaji Park resident Siddhi Deolekar, which named CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke among others. According to the FIR, 400-500 protesters gathered near Gate No. 6 of the Shivaji Park grounds in Dadar West around 2 p.m. and remained there until 7 p.m.
Police said the gathering took place on a road, disrupted traffic, and created a law-and-order situation. Loudspeakers were used without permission.
(With inputs from Chinmay Gaikwad)
Published – October 03, 2026 06:58 pm IST
