"India Gate is not a designated protest site. Protesters jumped barricades, blocked the C-Hexagon and refused to disperse," a police officer said.

The FIR stated that officers had issued "repeated warnings" asking protesters to leave the area since demonstrations are not permitted there.

Multiple videos circulating online allegedly show demonstrators shouting slogans praising the slain CPI (Maoist) commander, Madvi Hidma, prompting a police investigation.

The Delhi Police said it has arrested 22 people for allegedly assaulting personnel, obstructing them, blocking roads and using pepper spray during the protest.

On Monday, a Delhi court sent 17 people accused of obstructing and assaulting police personnel to three days’ judicial custody. In another related case, Delhi Police told the court that five protesters—arrested for allegedly using pepper spray on police—were raising slogans praising Madvi Hidma.

Scientists for Society (SFS), one of the organisations involved in Sunday’s “Delhi Against Clean Air” protest, distanced itself from the groups accused of raising unrelated slogans.

SFS said on Monday it had participated “solely on the issue of pollution,” stressing that the demonstration’s objective was to highlight Delhi’s severe air quality crisis, educate citizens, and question what it described as the government’s “failure and unwillingness” to act.

Scores of people assembled at the India Gate in a show of support for the Delhi Police on Tuesday.

Protestors held placards reading: “We support Delhi Police”, ‘Stop shielding anti-nationals’, ‘Nation against Hidma’, ‘Nation against Naxalism’, accusing ‘anti-national elements’ of infiltrating civic protests to promote extremist ideology.

In a related incident, the ABVP unit at JNU staged an effigy-burning protest on Tuesday, condemning the recent rise in 'urban naxal' activities.