Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and All India Students’ Association (AISA) activist Neha Bora were detained by the Delhi Police on Friday ahead of separate protests in the national capital, as security was tightened across the Lutyens’ Delhi area.
Dipke was detained while on his way to Connaught Place for the CJP’s proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Central Park, while Bora was detained near Mandi House shortly after beginning her march.
Earlier, the Delhi Police served a notice on Dipke, stating that Connaught Place was not a notified site for protests and asking him not to hold the march. The police had also visited his place of stay and restricted his movement ahead of the proposed gathering.
The planned protest comes days after CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were remanded to judicial custody after entering Jantar Mantar on October 13, following the withdrawal of its designation as a protest site.
The developments come amid heightened tensions over restrictions on public demonstrations in Delhi and the detention of activists and journalists during protests in recent days.
The Delhi Police plans to deploy more than 6,000 personnel in and around the Lutyens’ area, with another 5,000 personnel from other districts kept in reserve. Security arrangements have been strengthened around Rajiv Chowk, Connaught Place markets, Central Park, nearby Metro stations, Jantar Mantar and Palika Bazaar.
The proposed CJP march follows the outfit’s earlier call for a demonstration against restrictions on protests in the capital. The police have cited the designated status of protest sites and security concerns in enforcing restrictions on gatherings in central Delhi.
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