New Delhi, Oct. 11 -- More than 200 protesters were detained as they chanted slogans and marched towards the Jantar Mantar on Sunday as the protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) entered its second day amid heavy security deployment across the capital. The CJP said it would continue its agitation until the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns.
Despite a Supreme Court order against illegal detentions and removal of barricades, chaotic scenes unfolded in the New Delhi district as students and activists protested against the Election Commission. Showing scant respect for the apex court order earlier in the day, Delhi police continued their crackdown till late evening, apprehending people, including journalists. The implementation of the top court order was hardly visible on the ground as protesters and even bystanders were detained and pushed into buses.
Earlier in the day, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were released on the condition that they would not "breach peace" for a year.
At a press conference, Das claimed that Delhi Police officials took away their phones during their detention without issuing any seizure memo, raising concerns that the devices may have been hacked or cloned to plant documents or other material to be used later against them as evidence.
Several journalists, who were covering the protests were also detained by police despite displaying press identification cards, according to visuals emerging on social media. They were seen showing press cards to officials as they were taken away.
Police detained three Indian Express Hindi journalists at Connaught Place. The journalists, Shashwat, Siya and Vijay, displayed their valid press cards but were taken into detention and forced into buses by police personnel, the newspaper said. They were released at Chhatrasal Stadium around 45 minutes later. The police did not cite any specific legal provision or reason for detaining the journalists. Another journalist of The Hindu, despite displaying her identity card, was also being detained but she was allowed to go before the bus moved.
A bus packed with the detainees at Connaught Place included two journalists and at least two protesters who were bruised and bleeding.
The journalists - including one from a national daily, from digital news platforms and camera persons - were detained from outside the Press Club of India on Raisina Road, Connaught Place and RK Ashram Marg. More than 70 people were held outside the Press Club of India. At Raisina Road, NSUI members staged a protest after the CJP concluded their press conference.
Overall, about 100 protesters were packed into two buses and removed from the area. A man was pulled out of a burger joint on suspicion of being a protester. A video of the incident showed him telling the cops that he was simply standing at the spot and that he would not go with the team. He was later allowed to go. There were also reports and visuals regarding right-wing activists beating up protesters, with the police remaining a mute spectator.
The police action against protesters came despite the top court's order during a special sitting earlier in the day that peaceful, unarmed protesters cannot be detained except in accordance with the "procedure established by law". The court also said the police cannot detain such peaceful protesters beyond the area covered by a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Besides, AISA president Neha Bora and CPI(M) leader John Brittas were detained at Connaught Place. Brittas suffered injuries after he was dragged by the security personnel.
On Saturday, about 40,000 security personnel turned Delhi into a fortress to foil a planned protest, launching an unprecedented clampdown that saw the detention of 7,000 people, including four former chief ministers.
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 towards Jantar Mantar from different parts of the capital, mainly Connaught Place.
The SFI organised a women's march around 6.30 pm, after which it alleged that several women protesters were detained from Connaught Place. It claimed that female protesters were detained by male police personnel and alleged that their detention -- after 6 pm -- was illegal.
Visuals circulating on social media showed protesters marching through Connaught Place's Inner Circle, raising slogans demanding the resignation of CEC Kumar.
Security personnel were seen moving towards protesters 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.
The day witnessed a series of flash protests, with different groups assembling at various locations at different times to try to reach Jantar Mantar. Connaught Place and RK Ashram Marg were among the main points where demonstrations and detentions took place.
CPI (M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas was among those detained, police sources said. The SFI alleged that its leaders were assaulted inside cage-like police vans.The detentions continued into the evening, with student organisations reporting fresh pick-ups and raising concerns over the treatment of those in custody.
Later, the CPI (M) shared a video of John Brittas, Rajya Sabha MP, appearing distressed and being helped out of a vehicle.
In a post on X, the CPI(M) said Brittas was "brutally attacked" by Delhi Police. "DELHI POLICE HAS CROSSED ALL LIMITS!" the party wrote in its post.
Brittas said he was detained after reaching Connaught Place to support SFI activists who were being taken into custody. He said he was speaking to the media when police personnel forced him into a bus.
According to Brittas, several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel pinned him and another person down against a seat inside the vehicle. He said the personnel continued to restrain him despite his repeatedly identifying himself as a Member of Parliament.
The MP further said he was subsequently pushed out of the vehicle and left by the roadside.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.