Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora were preventively detained by Delhi Police on Friday while on their way to join the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protests in the national capital, as hundreds of demonstrators staged flash protests at Connaught Place and Mandi House amid heavy security deployment.
Dipke was detained while leaving his residence in Jhandewalan to join the proposed march at Connaught Place, while Bora was picked up at Mandi House. Police sources said Dipke was taken to Jafarpur Kalan police station.
The detentions triggered jostling among protesters, journalists, camera crews and security personnel. Minor altercations also broke out as police attempted to disperse demonstrators at various locations.
Police also began detaining protesters who had reached Connaught Place. “Those attempting to disrupt law and order are being detained,” a police officer said, adding that around 150 people have been detained so far.
Despite being denied permission for the march, citing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), CJP supporters and members of student organisations gathered at Connaught Place and Mandi House, carrying the national flag and raising slogans, reports PTI.
At Connaught Place, protesters walked through the inner circle, intermittently raising slogans of ‘Jai Hind’ before dispersing and regrouping at different spots. Some also sang the national anthem.
At Mandi House, AISA members and students demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the withdrawal of the 2023 Election Commissioner Appointment Act.
Earlier in the day, more than 20 police personnel visited Dipke’s residence in Jhandewalan and served him a notice directing him to refrain from any action that could prejudice the rights of citizens, traders, commuters, patients and others.
Central Park in Connaught Place, the proposed venue for the march scheduled for 5 pm, remained closed to the public on Friday and Saturday.
Security personnel formed a human chain along the park’s metal railings, while a tear gas vehicle and a Vajra vehicle were stationed outside.
Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed inside the park, and traffic police regulated movement along Connaught Place’s inner and outer circles.
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar visited the DCP New Delhi office at Parliament Street police station to review the security arrangements.
“We have detained Dipke and Bora. The situation is very peaceful. Some protesters have reached Connaught Place and will be removed soon.
Our main objective is to maintain law and order and ensure smooth traffic movement,” a senior police officer said.
Police allowed some groups to march while raising different slogans. Journalists and independent YouTube reporters covered the protests, with a few independent reporters being heckled.
More than 6,000 Delhi Police personnel and 220 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies, each comprising around 100 personnel, were deployed in the New Delhi area to prevent any law-and-order situation.