The Delhi Police on Friday detained several protesters who gathered at Jantar Mantar for an anti-reservation demonstration, with security tightened in and around the protest site amid a heavy turnout, a senior officer said.
Visuals showed police personnel detaining protesters — a majority of whom were men — as a large number of people gathered at the site carrying banners, posters and saffron flags, and raising slogans against caste-based reservation. Police deployed personnel and paramilitary forces at key points in the area ahead of the protest and put up barricades to regulate the movement of people towards Jantar Mantar.
The Delhi Police said no permission had been granted for any protest, procession, demonstration or assembly at Jantar Mantar. However, a no-objection certificate (NOC) was issued for a peaceful protest under the banner of “Reservation Hatao Andolan” at a different venue — Ramlila Ground — on Friday, according to an official communication by the office of the Central District DCP. The NOC allowed a maximum of 500 people to gather at the Ramlila Ground until 4 pm, with police stating that it had “no objection” to a protest at Ramlila Maidan from a law and order point of view.
