Delhi Police Detain 150 During 'Lehra Do Tiranga' March
Around 150 people were detained during the Lehra Do Tiranga march and protests against the Chief Election Commissioner in Central Delhi.
Tensions flared in the heart of the national capital on Friday as the Delhi Police detain protesters and activists during a planned "Lehra Do Tiranga" march and separate demonstrations in Central Delhi. Around 150 individuals were taken into custody as authorities moved to prevent mass gatherings in restricted zones.
Chaos in Connaught Place and Mandi House
The unrest began when a Tiranga rally, supported by leaders and workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was organized outside Central Park in Connaught Place. Simultaneously, a different wave of protests erupted near Mandi House. Members of the All India Students' Association (AISA) and various Left parties staged a demonstration calling for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Mandi House protesters raised serious concerns regarding the functioning of the Election Commission of India and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding accountability and leadership changes within the commission.
Massive Security Deployment
To maintain order and prevent the demonstrations from escalating, the authorities deployed a massive force of over 6,000 personnel, comprising both the Delhi Police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Police officials cited several reasons for the crackdown, including:
- The lack of official permission for the rallies.
- The status of Central Park as a restricted zone.
- Existing prohibitory orders against mass gatherings.
Preventive Arrests and Legal Notices
In a preemptive move, police targeted key activists before they could reach the protest sites. Among those detained was CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke, who was picked up from the residence of NCP-SCP spokesperson Anish Gawande.
During the arrest, a police official informed Dipke that he was being placed under preventive detention because Section 163 was in force in the Connaught Place area. Dipke was served with two separate legal notices:
- Section 163 of the BNSS: Issued by the New Delhi district under the Delhi Police Act, legally barring him from visiting Central Park.
- Bond Violation Notice: Issued by the South-West Delhi district, alleging that Dipke, along with Ashutosh and Saurav, violated a one-year undertaking to maintain public peace following a previous detention at the airport.
Focus Shifts to Student Safety
While political unrest gripped the center of the city, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar shifted his attention to the safety of the student community. The Commissioner led a high-level team to review the law and order situation in the Satya Niketan and South Campus areas.
Accompanied by Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order-I) Neeraj Thakur, Joint Commissioner of Police SK Jain, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Amit Goel, the Commissioner personally supervised patrolling. The team interacted with students, specifically women living in hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations, to address their security concerns.
Following the review, the Police Commissioner issued strict directives to local forces to increase the visibility of security measures and strengthen preventive policing across these student-heavy neighborhoods.