NEW DELHI – Indian police launched an investigation on Oct 4 into allegations of sexual harassment against officers during protests in the capital against the country’s election commission.

Protests began on Oct 2 demanding the Election Commission of India (ECI) chief Gyanesh Kumar step down, alleging wrongdoing during a large-scale voter-roll revision that has struck millions of names from the lists.

The ECI has rejected allegations of wrongdoing. Kumar himself has not commented.

The harassment allegations were made on Oct 3 when police detained scores of protestors around the government-designated protest site of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

“Allegations of sexual harassment were made by three female journalists against police officers,” Delhi police said in a statement, promising “a fair and impartial enquiry”.

In a video posted on social media, a complainant said that a police officer pushed and touched her “inappropriately”.

A third day of protests is slated in the capital on Oct 4, including by left-wing groups and supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) – which began in May as a satirical online movement, succeeding in its campaign to oust the then education minister.

CJP chief Abhijeet Dipke, who warned against a police crackdown and detentions on Oct 3, said that the accused officer “must be arrested immediately”.

Neha Bora, an activist from a left-wing student organisation, called for protesters to march to New Delhi’s central India Gate.