Over 150 protesters briefly detained in Delhi after cops halt march to ECI office

The protest that started around 1.30pm fizzled out in two hours, as police started detaining people by 2.45pm.

A group of around 250 protesters, under a platform “People Against SIR”, on Friday afternoon convened near the Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in central Delhi and tried to march till the office of the Election Commission of India, but were stopped by the police. Between 150 and 200 people were detained and were released in an hour, officers aware of the matter said.

The detained protesters were released after an hour, police said. (Raj K Raj/ HT Photo)

Heavy barricading was put up around the Delhi Police headquarters, ECI office, Bangla Sahib Gurdwara and Gol Dak Khana, and security forces descended on the roads as protesters started raising slogans at around 1.30pm. Among those present were CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat, CPI’s Annie Raja, activist Yogendra Yadav and student-activists from the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), Revolutionary Workers’ Party of India (RWPI), All India Students’ Association (AISA) and All India Youth Federation (AIYF).

A senior police officer said, “We had repeatedly conveyed to protesters that the area is not for protest and especially, the PHQ side, because it will create law and order situation. They still came and blocked roads. There is VIP movement, there are school buses and ambulances which faced issues. We tried to remove them from outside gurudwara but they again gathered near Gol Dak Khana. We had to detain those who were coming on the streets and blocking routes. Those who were marching on footpath dispersed on their own.”

People associated with the platform said they invited Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Abhijeet Dipke, AISA president Neha Bora, actor Prakash Raj and Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Rakesh Tikait to join.

SP Singh, 65, a protester, said, “From Sansad Marg, I managed to reach the Delhi Police HQ, which is next to gurudwara, but policemen tried to detain me. They can’t stop all of us. I am a proud citizen of this country and I will protest with the youth.”

As police started blocking key routes, the group marched till the GPO roundabout and moved to Baba Kharak Singh Marg.

Anjali, DUSU secretary, of AISA, who took part in the march, said, “We are also protesting against the Delhi Police for illegal detentions of women and trans persons during anti-CEC protests. Police have used SEM (Special Executive Magistrate) courts to extend custody and make people sign peace bonds. They also asked Neha Bora to sign this.”