Delhi Police has stepped up efforts to remove posts at the protests

Police officers walk past Ikshana, a mobile surveillance vehicle, parked at the Janatar Mantar protest site. File | Photo credit: Reuters

The Delhi Police is in the process of sending a takedown notice to Instagram in an attempt to remove several of the reels and posts that appeared during the youth protests at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere, officials said. A senior police officer said they regularly flag offensive social media posts to relevant authorities for removal.

Also read | Calm returns to Jantar Mantar after 36-day NEET protest ends; Dipke, Wangchuk have recovered

Without specifying the time frame or nature of the content, the officer admitted that a large number of such posts had recently been flagged and removed. He also said that more than 400 social media accounts operating outside the country and posting offensive content had been blocked. The police had previously mentioned those 400 accounts at a press conference.

“We do not keep a count of offensive posts as there are too many of them. It is an ongoing process. There is a dedicated social media team that monitors such posts round the clock and sometimes they are also flagged by other agencies. We do not count,” the officer said.

Several users posted details of posts that were removed by Meta in response to a government legal request. It’s unclear how many government organizations are sending Instagram takedown notices for protest-related content. While the resignation of former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resolved the main demand of the protests, government officials have expressed frustration at how the demonstrations and support have been amplified on social media, particularly Instagram.

Of the deleted posts reviewed by The Hindu, many contained or criticized police violence against students on 20 July 2026, when police and the Rapid Response Force of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in and around Jantar Mantar used lathis, tear gas shells and firearms on protesters.

Law enforcement authorities usually send a takedown notice pursuant to § 79 paragraph 3 letter b) of the Information Technology Act, which alerts platforms to specific content that is illegal, but without a legally binding takedown request. However, Meta has acted in recent months to comply with almost every Article 79(3)(b) request “automatically”, potentially handing the authorities powers of instant censorship.

A spokesperson for Meta did not respond to questions about the extent of takedown orders they are currently receiving from authorities in India and what they are doing in response to those requests.

“The Internet Freedom Foundation condemns this takedown effort and calls for the notice to be published and withdrawn,” the Delhi-based digital rights group said in a statement. “According to available reports, the content being removed is a political statement. The movement at Jantar Mantar has been driven both through reels, memes, posters and digital artwork, as well as through on-site gatherings. This is how the digital native generation raised online is speaking about responsibility.”

“The unpublished directions are also contrary to (the Supreme Court’s guidelines in) Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India, which requires that orders restricting fundamental rights be made public in order to be challenged,” the IFF added. “If the basic theory is defamation of the prime minister, the police have no role at all. Defamation according to Section 356 BNS is a non-cognizable crime that is prosecuted only on the basis of a complaint by the injured person according to Section 222 BNSS.”

Published – 27 Jul 2026 21:15 IST