Delhi Police detain student and party leaders ahead of banned Connaught Place flag march

UPDATE - follow-up to CJP Tiranga protest LIVE | Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bohra detained on way to 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest: Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke and AISA chief Neha Bohra on Friday during demonstrations in the national capital.

Detentions And Protests

Police picked up Mr. Dipke from his residence in Jhandewalan and detained Ms. Bohra at Mandi House Circle as groups marched toward Connaught Place. Authorities served a notice barring the march and cited Section 163 prohibitory orders, while the New Delhi Municipal Council closed Central Park for the weekend. According to Hindustan Times, police had earlier urged Mr. Dipke to call off the gathering over traffic and safety concerns, but he argued he broke no law and asked for an alternate venue.

Opposition And Student Mobilisation

Several youth groups and opposition leaders joined the day's events. Member of Parliament John Brittas led around 100 protesters alongside parliamentarians Dr. V. Sivadasan and A.A. Rahim to Central Park, while SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya and other groups were halted near Janpath-Tolstoy Marg. The Aam Aadmi Party also held a march from its headquarters toward Connaught Place. Meanwhile, the AISA alleged that Ms. Bohra was taken to an undisclosed location without her phone and questioned the presence of civilians in her police van, and Bengaluru Police similarly blocked a related CJP march citing High Court venue rules.

Context

These detentions and protests center on opposition demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision of rolls, and the repeal of the 2023 Election Commissioner Appointment Act, following earlier arrests of CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.