NEW DELHI: Delhi Police have released over 7,000 protesters detained across the capital on Saturday, including four former chief ministers. However, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders will remain in custody as due legal process is followed, news agency ANI reported, citing police sources.The detentions came amid a massive security clampdown to prevent a planned protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged vote theft.Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar were among the opposition leaders detained while attempting to join the protest. All four have since been released.Mamata, who was released from detention in Delhi, referred to the President’s remarks on the need for evidence to investigate the allegations. “But the President has said that ‘We don’t have any evidence; if we are to investigate, we need proof.’ So we said, ‘Fine, we will provide the proof.’ This part is true,” she said.Vijayan, who was released along with CPI(M) MP John Brittas and former Kerala minister KN Balagopal from Mandir Marg police station, criticised the Delhi Police’s handling of the protesters.“Delhi is witnessing the Modi government’s ruthless crackdown on democracy. Protesters are being detained, while the government evades questions on electoral integrity. The behaviour of the Delhi Police today is completely unbecoming of a professional police force. But barricades and detentions cannot halt the march of democracy, and I am proud to have been a part of this protest against the denial of democracy and to defend our Constitution,” he said.Kejriwal was released from Jaffarpur police station after his detention. He had earlier called on people across the country to reach Delhi and demand the chief election commissioner’s resignation.
CJP leaders remain in custody
CJP leaders Abhijit Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police after their flight from Mumbai landed in the national capital. Police had told them they did not have permission to hold the protest at Jantar Mantar.Dipke accused the police of treating CJP leaders like criminals. In a pre-recorded video message released after his detention, he said the organisation’s in-charge, Ajinkya Shinde, would lead the protest at Jantar Mantar. CJP maintained that the protest would continue nationwide, with or without its leaders.Police also informed Dipke about the death of his 85-year-old paternal grandmother, Savitribai Shankarrao Dipke, in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district. She died at her home in Santuk Pimpri village around 11.30 am on Saturday after a prolonged illness. Family sources said police offered to facilitate his journey home on humanitarian grounds.YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who lives abroad and had travelled to join the protest, was detained from his residence in Gurugram’s Sector 56.
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Heavy security prevents protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar
The authorities deployed more than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel across Delhi to prevent protesters from gathering at Jantar Mantar. The designated protest site remained largely deserted throughout the day as barricades were placed across Lutyens’ Delhi. Police also closed 45 metro stations and intensified checks at border points, railway stations, bus terminals, hotels and other sensitive locations.Police said more than 7,000 protesters were detained across the capital, including over 2,000 in the New Delhi area. Several opposition leaders and activists were among those detained, including CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, veteran Left leader Brinda Karat, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, activist Yogendra Yadav, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha.