Delhi Police detained Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, student leader Neha Bora and hundreds of protesters on Saturday as demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar spread beyond Jantar Mantar. With the Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke held at Delhi airport, Ajinkya Shinde was named to lead the agitation, while security restrictions disrupted transport across the capital.
Video from the plane showed Dipke confronting police officers, accusing them of treating peaceful protesters like criminals. An officer was heard saying that the action was a detention rather than an arrest. Despite the detentions, groups of demonstrators continued trying to march in different parts of the capital. “Dilli Haat becomes our Jantar Mantar! Gyanesh Kumar must go!” she wrote on X.
Because organisers did not submit a valid application within the required 10-day period and because of public-order concerns, delhi Police said it refused permission for Saturday’s Jantar Mantar event. The latest demonstration followed earlier protests in Delhi and Mumbai, including a CJP gathering at Shivaji Park on October 2.
The CJP said its founder Dipke and leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained aboard an aircraft shortly after arriving from Mumbai. Earlier reporting noted: NCP (SP) spokesperson Anish Gawande, who was travelling on the same flight, said he did not know where the three had been taken. Earlier reporting noted: Gawande said protesters were still attempting to reach Jantar Mantar and urged police to exercise restraint.
Earlier reporting noted: Earlier, Bora, the national president of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), called on supporters to gather elsewhere after police blocked access to Jantar Mantar.
Mamata Banerjee, Neha Bora and other opposition leaders detained
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was detained near a bus stand on South Avenue, where she had begun a sit-in after police stopped her from proceeding towards the protest. Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O’Brien, Saket Gokhale and Dola Sen were also among those detained. Elsewhere, All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav, advocate Prashant Bhushan and CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya were detained near INA Market. Bora had urged supporters to assemble at Dilli Haat after police barricades blocked access to Jantar Mantar. Former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan was also among the opposition figures detained.
Mamata Banerjee placed a bandage over her mouth in protest and described the police action as “bigger than Emergency”.
