At least 1,000 detained during overnight crackdown ahead of Delhi protest
About 250 of the detained individuals are from Delhi's South-East district. Photo: Collected.
Police in India's capital, New Delhi, detained at least 1,000 people overnight ahead of a protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and the All India Students' Association (AISA) scheduled for Saturday. The demonstration was called to demand the resignation of the country's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar.
Citing police sources, The Indian Express reported that around 250 of those detained by 12:30 a.m. Saturday were from southeast Delhi. Most were picked up from areas around Shaheen Bagh.
Shaheen Bagh was one of the main centers of protests against India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2020.
Another Delhi Police officer said more than 100 people had also been detained in the Shahdara and east Delhi districts, both of which border the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Police said the detentions were preventive measures intended to avert possible disorder. They were identifying and detaining people with a history of organizing protests and creating unrest, according to the police.
Those detained will be taken to 13 major detention centers across different districts of Delhi.
Meanwhile, large numbers of police officers and security personnel have been deployed throughout the capital ahead of the protest. Leaders of the CJP were expected to arrive in Delhi at around 10:15 a.m. Saturday.
Outlining the security arrangements, local police said more than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel would be deployed on the ground. Surveillance has also been stepped up in areas bordering Delhi.
Under the security plan, police inspectors, platoons of male and female officers, and other units will work in shifts. Additional personnel and reserve forces are also on standby for deployment if necessary.
Special police checkpoints have been set up at junctions connecting different districts of Delhi, including areas between central Delhi and New Delhi. Surveillance has also been intensified at junctions linking south, southeast and southwest Delhi.
Access to the protest site could also be difficult from areas near New Delhi, including Ashoka Road and Tolstoy Road. Ten barricades have been erected along these roads, where more than 30 paramilitary personnel have been deployed.
Source: The Indian Express
