Over 4,000 detained in India's CJP protest; Mamata, Kejriwal, Imran, Neha Bora released
Security was tightened around the venue, with more than 40,000 police and paramilitary personnel deployed to keep protesters away.
More than 4,000 people have reportedly been detained in India amid a sweeping police crackdown on protests organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), with opposition leaders Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal and student activist Neha Bora among those detained before being released.
The demonstrations, held today (10 October), called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to The Hindustan Times, Delhi Police detained CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka upon their arrival at Delhi airport ahead of the planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
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The newspaper reported that police deployed more than 40,000 personnel from Delhi Police and the Central Armed Police Forces, erected barricades and installed spike strips to prevent protesters from reaching the venue.
Mamata, Kejriwal, Neha Bora detained
Former West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora were among those detained during the demonstrations.
According to The Economic Times, Banerjee and Kejriwal were released from detention later on Saturday. NDTV also reported that Neha Bora was released from Maidan Garhi police station along with other detainees.
The detentions extended to several other opposition politicians and activists, including former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, activist Yogendra Yadav and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, according to Indian media reports.
The Hindustan Times reported that police had detained people at multiple locations across Delhi, including more than 60 protesters who had spent the night at Bangla Sahib Gurdwara.
Ajinkya Shinde leads protest after CJP leaders detained
With Dipke and other senior CJP leaders in custody, party organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde took the lead in coordinating the protest.
According to The Hindustan Times, Shinde urged supporters to continue towards Jantar Mantar despite police restrictions, telling them to turn any location where police stopped them into a protest site.
The newspaper reported that the party had called on supporters to march towards the venue, while police blocked routes and detained demonstrators attempting to assemble.
After access to Jantar Mantar was restricted, some activists shifted their demonstrations to other parts of the capital. NDTV reported that Bora had called for protesters to gather at Dilli Haat, declaring it an alternative protest venue.
Conflicting estimates of detentions
Reports have differed on the total number of people detained during the crackdown.
The Hindustan Times, citing Delhi Police, initially reported that nearly 1,500 people had been detained in the capital. Reuters reported that more than 2,000 protesters had been detained, while Marathi newspaper Loksatta put the figure at around 6,000.
The figures could not be independently reconciled, although reports indicated that detentions took place across several districts and continued throughout the day.
The security measures also disrupted movement in the capital, with road restrictions, barricades and closures affecting access to central Delhi. Reuters reported that mobile internet services were suspended in parts of the city and some metro stations and markets were closed.
Dispute over voter-list revision
The CJP protest centres on allegations that the SIR process has resulted in eligible voters being removed from electoral rolls, raising concerns about electoral fairness.
Reuters reported that protesters alleged the revisions had removed around 130 million entries and could have benefited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission and the BJP have denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the revisions form part of a voter-verification exercise.
The party has vowed to continue its agitation until Kumar resigns, while the mass detentions and restrictions on access to protest venues have drawn criticism from opposition leaders and activists.
Imran Khan walks home
Bollywood actor Imran Khan walked home after being detained by Mumbai Police during a protest at August Kranti Maidan today (10 October), while his partner, actor Lekha Washington, said they were initially denied the option of booking a vehicle to return home.
The actor was at the protest with Washington and his cousin, Zayn Marie Khan. In comments to the media before his detention, Imran said he had joined as a citizen of Mumbai, rather than as a representative of any organisation.
He said he wanted to understand why freedom of movement was being restricted and why people's voices were being suppressed.
Washington later shared videos on Instagram describing their experience after the detention. In one, she said police were not allowing them to go home or take a car. In another, she reassured followers that they were safe and on their way home.
The detention took place at August Kranti Maidan, where police were responding to a planned protest in support of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) call for demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Mumbai Police said permission had not been sought for the protest and that Bombay High Court directions allow demonstrations only at Azad Maidan. CJP workers, however, claimed they had emailed police seeking permission but received no response. Police said more than 400 people had been detained across the city.
