At least 1,000 people have been detained across Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, police said on Saturday.
They also detained people at railway stations, bus stops and near the airport. Police have stepped up security outside the airport. More than 250 of the detainees were picked up by district police in southeast Delhi after they identified protesters around Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Nagar, according to a senior officer. Police said more than 100 people were picked up from east and northeast Delhi. Police suspect that more than 20,000 protesters will reach Jantar Mantar on Saturday. The detainees will be moved to 13 major detention centres earmarked in each district ahead of the protest.
Police said the detentions were being made to prevent mass mobilisation and maintain law and order at Jantar Mantar. The detentions were carried out late on Friday and on Saturday morning in several districts, at border areas and near transport hubs to prevent mass mobilisation and maintain law and order. The Cockroach Janta Party’s co-convenor, Saurav Das, had said on X that party members would reach Delhi on Saturday morning.
