New Delhi, Oct 10: Around 500 people were detained in the national capital on Saturday as police prevented protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar for a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was called over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and changes relating to Form 6, which is used for voter registration.
According to officials, some protesters allegedly threw stones at security personnel near Akashwani Bhawan after removing barricades on Imtiaz Ali Marg. Two police personnel were reportedly injured during the incident.
Protesters Clash With Security Personnel
Police officials said around 25 to 30 protesters crossed barricades around noon and allegedly pelted security personnel with stones. Some protesters were detained following the incident.
The demonstration was scheduled to begin at 10:30 am. However, police and paramilitary personnel stopped participants from reaching the designated protest site, where prohibitory orders were in force.
Several protesters were detained at different locations, including Connaught Place, as they attempted to regroup and move towards Jantar Mantar. Others were sent back by the police.
Protesters continued raising slogans against the police while officers chased them and moved detained individuals into buses. Some of those detained shouted “Inquilab Zindabad” as they were taken away.
CJP Leaders Detained Inside Aircraft
CJP claimed that its leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police inside an aircraft shortly after it landed in the national capital.
The three leaders had travelled from Mumbai to participate in the planned protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
In a video shared by the party, Dipke alleged that police personnel entered the aircraft and prevented the leaders from disembarking.
He criticised the police action, comparing it to the Emergency-era restrictions and alleging that the authorities were using excessive force to stop the demonstration.
Dipke also claimed that the police action inconvenienced other passengers on the flight.
Before detaining the leaders, police personnel reportedly informed them that they did not have permission to hold the demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
Dipke alleged that the leaders were being treated like criminals despite their intention to participate in a protest.
CJP Condemns Detentions
In a statement, the Cockroach Janata Party condemned the alleged detentions, describing them as a pre-planned attempt to prevent its leaders from reaching the protest venue.
The party alleged that the action violated the leaders’ freedom of movement and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
The CJP had organised the demonstration to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revision and changes concerning Form 6, the application used to register eligible voters.
The allegations remain claims made by the party and have not been established by the reported events alone.
Leaders Taken to Different Locations
According to police sources, the three CJP leaders were taken to separate locations following their detention.
Abhijeet Dipke was taken to Gurugram, Ashutosh Ranka was taken to Dwarka in Delhi, and Saurav Das was taken to another location in the national capital, the sources said.
Tight Security Across New Delhi
Delhi Police had denied permission for the proposed demonstration and deployed security personnel at key intersections and roads leading to Jantar Mantar.
Authorities divided the district into 20 sectors, with senior officers monitoring the situation to prevent protesters from gathering near the designated site.
Despite the restrictions, protesters attempted to assemble at different locations and move towards Jantar Mantar, leading to multiple detentions.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the dispute over electoral roll revisions, voter registration procedures and the handling of protests against the Election Commission. The CJP has accused the authorities of suppressing its demonstration, while police cited the absence of permission to hold the protest at Jantar Mantar.
