Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bora Among Over 150 Detained at Tiranga Protest
Delhi Police on Friday, October 16, detained Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and All India Students’ Association (AISA) chief Neha Bora as they headed to the party’s “Lehra Do Tiranga” protest in central Delhi. A police officer said around 150 people had been detained by the evening, PTI reported, as protesters held flash marches at Connaught Place and Mandi House.
How the Detentions Took Place
Police said Dipke was detained at his place of stay in Jhandewalan while leaving for Central Park in Connaught Place, where the CJP had called supporters to gather with the national flag at 5 pm. Police sources said he was taken to Jafarpur Kalan police station. Earlier in the day, more than 20 police personnel visited his residence and served him notices, including one under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) barring him from Central Park.
Bora was detained at Mandi House along with others who had begun a Tiranga march from there. “We have detained Dipke and Bora. The situation is very peaceful,” a senior police officer said. Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas later said Bora’s whereabouts were not known, according to ETV Bharat. Reports did not say whether those detained had been released.
Security Arrangements in Central Delhi
More than 6,000 Delhi Police personnel were deployed in and around Connaught Place, and the New Delhi Municipal Council closed Central Park to the public on Friday and Saturday. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS were in force, and police said permission for the march had been refused. DCP New Delhi Sachin Sharma urged people to “abide by the law”.
Some protesters carried the Tricolour, and there was jostling between crowds, camera crews and security personnel. Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar reviewed arrangements at the DCP New Delhi office. The Supreme Court had earlier declined an urgent hearing on the Central Park shutdown sought by traders.
Why It Matters for Citizens
The protests are linked to demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. For commuters, shopkeepers and office workers in central Delhi, repeated closures, diversions and slowed mobile internet have disrupted daily routines during the festive season.
The day also raises the wider question of how the right to peaceful protest is balanced with public order. The Press Council of India recently issued safety guidelines for journalists covering protests, as reporters were caught in crowded scenes again on Friday.
The CJP has said its protests will continue, with a rally planned in Pune on Saturday.
Based on reporting by The Tribune, ThePrint (PTI), ETV Bharat and Deccan Herald.
Image: The Tribune / PTI.
