NEW DELHI:
Delhi Police detained around 200 protesters attempting to reach Jantar Mantar for a proposed demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, police sources said on Friday.
The detentions were carried out at several locations across the New Delhi area as the police intensified security arrangements ahead of the planned protest. Personnel were deployed at strategic points, and drones were used to monitor the movement of people suspected of heading towards the protest venue.
Police sources also said more than 600 people with criminal records had been detained across the national capital’s 15 districts as part of preventive measures. The action was intended to prevent individuals with criminal backgrounds from creating law-and-order problems during the proposed demonstration, the sources said.
The police were also monitoring the movements of people suspected of mobilising crowds or encouraging participation in the protest. Surveillance had been intensified outside the residences of certain individuals, while additional personnel were stationed near Jantar Mantar and other sensitive locations.
The authorities had denied permission for the CJP’s proposed demonstration, citing security concerns and procedural requirements. Police said the communication received from the organisation was only an intimation and not a formal application for permission. They also pointed to guidelines requiring applications for programmes at Jantar Mantar to be submitted at least 10 days in advance.
Prohibitory orders were in force in the New Delhi area, and the police appealed to people to comply with the restrictions. The security measures were intended to prevent an unauthorised gathering and avert any breach of peace.
The CJP had called the protest to demand Kumar’s resignation over allegations concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and changes relating to Form 6, which is used for voter registration.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was also detained at his residence in Gurugram ahead of the proposed agitation, police sources said. The detention of protesters and the heightened security measures underscored the authorities’ efforts to prevent demonstrators from assembling at the venue despite the organisation’s call for a protest.
The police action came amid a wider dispute over electoral-roll revision and the Election Commission’s accountability. The allegations raised by the protesters remain claims made by the organisation and require examination through the appropriate processes.