Delhi police detain around 1,000 protesters ahead of CJP agitation

Around 1,000 protesters were detained across Delhi ahead of the CJP-led agitation demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged SIR irregularities. CJP leaders, influencer Dhruv Rathee and Opposition figures were among those detained as security measures intensified

New Delhi: Around 1,000 protesters were detained across the national capital on Saturday while on their way to take part in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, police said.

Security has been beefed up across the National Capital Region (NCR), including border areas, in view of the protests.

Indian Railways cancelled or rescheduled several trains scheduled to arrive in New Delhi, while the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) shut entry and exit at 45 Metro stations as Delhi Police took measures to prevent agitators from reaching the protest venue at Jantar Mantar.

Police had said on Friday that permission for the CJP protest had been denied because the organisers had failed to comply with legal directions and honour undertakings given during an earlier protest.

Earlier on Saturday, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by police at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi while on their way to Jantar Mantar to protest and demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Delhi Police personnel entered the aircraft carrying Dipke after it landed at IGI Airport.

Dipke posted a video showing Delhi Police personnel entering the aircraft as he and other CJP members, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained on board.

In a video posted on his social media account, Dipke was heard telling the police, “…I have come here to be arrested; arrest me.”

The CJP announced the detentions in a post on its social media account, stating: “Abhijeet Dipke DETAINED! Saurav Das DETAINED! Ashutosh Ranka DETAINED!”

Social media influencer Dhruv Rathee was also detained at his residence in Gurugram.

According to a post on the CJP’s X account, around 50 police personnel in plain clothes reached Rathee’s residence in Gurugram at around 8 am and took him into preventive custody.

Meanwhile, several Opposition leaders, including AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, party leader Gopal Rai and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, were also detained while protesting against the CEC over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.

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