Delhi Police Detain Protesters at Connaught Place
Delhi Police detained SFI and Left party protesters at Connaught Place amid massive security following large-scale detentions at Jantar Mantar.
The heart of the national capital witnessed a tense standoff on Sunday as Delhi Police detain protesters gathered at the Inner Circle of Connaught Place. Members of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and various Left parties attempted to stage a demonstration, but were met with a massive police presence and subsequent detentions.
Escalating Tensions in the Capital
This latest crackdown follows a day of intense unrest in Delhi. Just twenty-four hours prior, the city saw large-scale detentions during a massive protest at Jantar Mantar. That demonstration, led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), was aimed at demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The scale of the security operation has been unprecedented, with authorities implementing several restrictive measures across the city, including:
- The erection of barricades at the Ghazipur border.
- The closure of gates at 45 different Metro stations.
- Heavy police deployment across major protest hubs.
Release of CJP Leaders
Amidst the chaos, key leaders of the CJP—Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das—were released after being produced before the Executive Magistrate at the Delhi Cantt Police Station. Their release was confirmed by Ratna Singh, the party's head of legal affairs. Following their release, the party has scheduled a press conference to address the recent events.
Adding to the controversy, activist Abhijeet Dipke claimed in a video shared on Instagram that he and his associates were intercepted and detained by the police at Delhi airport immediately after deboarding a flight from Mumbai.
Legal Action and Allegations of Violence
The Delhi Police have not been idle in their legal response to the recent unrest. More than 20 FIRs have been registered in connection with attempts to forcibly stage protests on October 10. The police have cited several serious allegations, including:
- Disturbing law and order.
- Obstructing government officials from performing their duties.
- Assaulting police personnel.
A video that has gone viral on social media, reportedly captured on October 10, appears to show four individuals allegedly assaulting protesters near the Civic Centre. In response to these incidents, police have confirmed that four people have already been detained.
A Political Firestorm
The massive security crackdown has ignited a fierce political debate. On Saturday, when approximately 1,000 people were detained—including high-profile figures such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan—the political divide deepened.
While some critics have labeled the heavy-handed police tactics as a "crackdown on democratic rights," the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has countered these claims, characterizing the protesters' actions as "anarchy." As the city remains on high alert, the tension between law enforcement and political activists shows no signs of subsiding.