NEW DELHI: High drama unfolded in the national capital on Saturday as Delhi Police began detaining leaders and activists of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and partner organisations ahead of their proposed demonstration against the Election Commission. Police officials informed the demonstrators that no legal sanction had been granted for the protest in New Delhi.
Activists Deboarded from Flight, Detained at Home
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was detained by Delhi Police personnel from inside an aircraft immediately after landing at Delhi Airport from Mumbai. Along with Dipke, two other key leaders of the pressure group, co-convener Saurav Das and spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, were also detained.
Immediately after their detention, the CJP issued a statement, condemning the detention of the three leaders straight from their flight upon landing at the Delhi airport. It was not immediately clear where the three were taken after their detention. In a video posted on Instagram from the aisle of the plane, Dipke accused authorities of acting out of fear.
“Delhi Police is entering the plane to arrest us. We just landed… This is the fear of Narendra Modi. Not even Indira Gandhi did this during the Emergency. All we wanted to do is a peaceful protest, and they are picking us up from the flight like we are criminals,” Dipke said in the video, terming the police action “dictatorship.”
Separately, CJP’s legal affairs head Ratna Singh was detained outside her residence as she attempted to leave in her vehicle. In a video shared on social media platform X, Singh alleged that officers could not produce an official notification when asked.
“They came to my house in the morning… They just said, ‘We need to detain you, we have orders from above.’ They want me to stay here only. I am not getting out of the car… I am in a way illegally detained on the road,” Singh stated.
The CJP also claimed on social media that content creator Dhruv Rathee was detained, alleging that the government was “terrified of young people who question its wrongdoings.”
Police Action and Security Measures
Delhi Police confirmed that around 500 people arriving in different groups from various locations were detained across the city. In addition, nearly 50 anti-social elements with criminal antecedents were picked up as part of preventive measures to ensure they do not incite trouble or disturb the peace.
To manage the situation, police have implemented elaborate arrangements across New Delhi:
- Operational Zones: The New Delhi district has been divided into 20 operational zones, each equipped with dedicated detention centres.
- Ground Deployments: Heavy police presence and extensive barricading were put in place at key spots, including Jantar Mantar and Sansad Marg, where several demonstrators were detained after gathering.
- Transit Restrictions: Heightened security has been enforced at entry points to the national capital, while 46 Metro stations remain closed to maintain order.
Police officials stated that these strict security measures were put in place to prevent any untoward incidents and to avoid a repeat of the clashes seen during the July 20 protests, as CJP activists remain adamant about proceeding with their call to protest against the Election Commission.
What the Delhi Police said
“Multiple police officials from the southwest district police were deployed at the Delhi airport to detain Dipke, Das, Ranka and other CJP leaders or supporters arriving in different flights from different states and cities. Special passes were issued to the officials for their access to the airport premises. The three CJP leaders have been detained,” one officer said, asking not to be named.
When asked whether the detained CJP leaders will be kept only at the airport premises, another officer, who also wished to remain anonymous, said: “The location where they will be taken cannot be disclosed for security reasons.”
