Investigation into the July 20 clashes during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ protest organised by the CJP has revealed that some protesters may have used AI tools to learn methods of countering police crowd-control measures, including use of wet jute bags to minimise effects of tear gas, police sources said on Thursday.
The ongoing investigation has indicated that some participants may have searched artificial intelligence (AI) platforms for information on mitigating the impact of tear gas and preparing for confrontations with security personnel.
“The investigation is being carried out through multiple methods. We have reasons to believe that some protesters used AI tools or other generative AI platforms to search for ways to immediately reduce the effects of tear gas, including use of wet jute bags, and to prepare themselves with hard hats, masks and goggles,” an official said. He said police are in the process of collecting evidence, which is a time-taking process.
Police are also probing the alleged distribution of hard hats, face masks and protective goggles among protesters before and during the demonstration, with sources claiming that these items may have been intended to help participants withstand police action during the violence.
Further investigation is underway and police teams are collecting digital and other evidence to substantiate the findings. Police have not disclosed names of any AI platforms allegedly accessed nor have they said whether any digital devices have been forensically examined to establish such searches.
The July 20 protest witnessed clashes between protesters and security personnel at multiple locations in New Delhi, including Parliament Street, Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar, after demonstrators allegedly attempted to breach police barricades.
According to the police, several incidents of stone-pelting were reported during the violence, forcing security personnel to resort to repeated use of lathicharge, tear gas and even pellet guns to disperse the crowd.
Police alleged that more than 200 police personnel sustained injuries in the clashes, while over 65 protesters were injured. More than 15 vehicles, including police vehicles, were damaged during the violence.
Investigators have identified more than 2,800 people with previous criminal records who were present during the protest. Their role and level of involvement are being examined as part of the broader investigation into the violence.
Police said multiple teams were analysing video footage, social media content, electronic evidence and other material collected during the investigation to establish the sequence of events and identify those allegedly involved in planning or participating in acts of violence.
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