New Delhi: Over 100 protesters were detained Sunday as they raised slogans and marched towards Jantar Mantar, with several seen being dragged into police buses, as the protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) entered its second day amid heavy security deployment across Delhi.
Members of several student organisations, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), along with CJP supporters, were detained while trying to march to Jantar Mantar from different parts of the capital.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas was also among those detained, police sources said.
Visuals showed protesters marching through Connaught Place’s Inner Circle and near Rajiv Chowk, raising slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstrators could be heard shouting, “Gyanesh Kumar isteefa do, isteefa do”.
Security personnel were seen moving towards protesters and attempting to disperse them. Several demonstrators resisted as police personnel held them by their arms and pulled them towards waiting buses. Some protesters were seen being dragged along the road, while others continued raising slogans as they were taken into custody.
Protesters marching from RK Ashram Marg metro station were also detained as police maintained a heavy presence at several locations to prevent demonstrators from reaching Jantar Mantar.
More than 40 protesters were detained near RK Ashram Marg, police sources said, adding that the total number of detainees across the city could reach around 100 by the afternoon.
The SFI alleged that hundreds of its activists had been detained and taken to Surajmal Stadium in Nangloi.
In a statement, the organisation said its All India President Adarsh M Saji, Delhi State Secretary Sooraj Elamon, Central Executive Committee member Abhijith Manilal and several other members were detained during the protest.
The SFI alleged that its leaders were assaulted inside cage-like police vans. It also claimed that Brittas was attacked by Delhi Police personnel and later left by the roadside in an injured condition.
The organisation further alleged that Father Biju Xavier, the vicar of Sacred Heart Church in Delhi, was “arrested” while recording a video of alleged police violence on his mobile phone.
AISA president Neha Bora, who had earlier called for a demonstration at RK Ashram Marg at 2.30 pm, was detained along with other protesters near Vijay Chowk.
Visuals showed Bora raising slogans alongside other members of the organisation as security personnel moved towards them. She and the other demonstrators were seen running as police personnel attempted to stop them before detaining them.
The CJP said several of its protesters had been detained near Connaught Place metro station and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib.
Videos shared by the organisation showed protesters attempting to form human chains as police personnel moved in to detain them. The organisation alleged that doctors and other demonstrators protesting peacefully near Gurdwara Bangla Sahib were also taken into custody.
In another development, videos circulating on social media showed KYS members staging a protest on boats near Nigambodh Ghat. Holding posters, they raised slogans demanding the resignation of the chief election commissioner. Members of the organisation were also seen demonstrating near Connaught Place.
The detentions came amid extensive security arrangements across the capital, with police personnel deployed at several locations to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar.
The CJP had announced another demonstration at the protest site at 10 am on Sunday after police prevented its supporters from gathering there on Saturday.
More than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across Delhi as part of security arrangements.
On Saturday, CJP leaders, including Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained amid a major security clampdown, with more than 7,000 protesters detained at multiple locations as police prevented them from reaching Jantar Mantar.
Several opposition leaders, including former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and Manik Sarkar, were also detained while attempting to join the protest.
The CJP and opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
