Voter list row: Delhi cops detain CJP founder from home

Neha Bora picked up near Jantar Mantar

Police detained India’s ‘cockroach’ movement founder Abhijeet Dipke and some supporters yesterday, ahead of a protest called by him in capital Delhi’s central business district, the latest rally to demand the resignation of India’s election chief.

This is the second detention in a week for Dipke. He was earlier detained right after his plane landed in Delhi from Mumbai for a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

All India Students’ Association (AISA) President Neha Bora, 29 was also detained near Jantar Mantar. A post made on Bora’s X account said that she was detained and taken to an “unknown location”.

“They don’t have their phone! Delhi Police must answer: where is Neha? Once again an abduction, not detention!,” the post further said.

Dipke called yesterday’s protest in support of two Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders detained and sent to jail this week for five days for demonstrating at a protest site in violation of a ban, reports Reuters.

The group and left-wing student organisations had urged supporters to gather at the Central Park in New Delhi’s busy Connaught Place shopping and food district yesterday evening to wave and hoist the national flag.

The live video on CJP’s Instagram handle showed Dipke coming out of a house and walking towards the street, where police officers stopped him and, after a brief argument, hauled him into a police car and drove away.

“We are placing you under preventive detention. Section 163 is in force in Connaught Place. You are being detained,” a police officer could be heard telling Dipke, reports TOI.

“I have not broken any law right now...how can you detain me,” Dipke asked the police officers as he was taken away.

According to officials, a notice issued on behalf of the New Delhi district authorities under the Delhi Police Act directed people not to visit Central Park, citing the restrictions in force under Section 163.

Senior police officer Sachin Sharma told news agency ANI that Dipke was served a notice that asked him to obey the law, and that he was informed of the implications of any violations.

Television images showed dozens of people arriving at Connaught Place amid heavy security, some of them waving small versions of the national flag.

Small protests were also held in financial capital Mumbai and tech hub Bengaluru, while student organisations held a demonstration in the eastern city of Patna, with people waving flags of their organisations and pushing against police barricades.