NHRC seeks to probe alleged use of minors at CJP protest in Mumbai

The NHRC said it had received complaints from the Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation and other organisations. File | Photo credit: The Hindu

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Saturday (October 3, 2026) took cognizance of allegations that minors participated in a protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Mumbai on Friday (October 2, 2026) and that their pictures were circulated online.

Following complaints from the Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation and other organizations, the commission ordered the Mumbai Police to investigate the matter and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within a week.

The organizations cited posts on X that allegedly showed a small child held above a crowd carrying a national flag and banner while slogans were raised and people videotaped the child.

The complaints alleged that those associated with the Janta cockroach party involved minors in the protest and called for an investigation into the roles of organizers, accompanying adults and others who facilitated their participation.

The complaints also cited alleged group chats in which minors were allegedly planned to participate in the protest, with some participants suggesting that their status as minors could prevent police from detaining them. The commission said the material indicated that some people described as minors were also part of those discussions and allegedly agreed to participate.

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Stating that the allegation raised concerns about the dignity, safety, privacy and possible exploitation of children, the bench headed by NHRC member Priyank Kanoong ordered the Mumbai Police to investigate how children participated in the October 2 rally and probe the roles of organizers, coordinators, accompanying adults and others who may have facilitated their participation. The police have also been asked to look into 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 probed, making it clear that responsibility must be determined based on evidence.

The commission also ordered X Corp. maintain a digital trail associated with 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 investigate whether X Corp. complies with legal and regulatory obligations regarding child safety, information retention and assistance to law enforcement authorities.

The NHRC also directed the Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development Department, Maharashtra to ensure the rescue, care and protection of children under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

Published – 03 Oct 2026 18:58 IST