Jantar Mantar Protest: Delhi Police Seal Site From Both Sides, Ask Protesters To Leave Amid Tight Security

The protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar will continue on Saturday, All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora said on Friday, urging supporters to return to the protest site following a day of detentions across the national capital.

Addressing supporters, Bora said protesters would gather again at Jantar Mantar the next day and asked them to rest and regain their energy before returning to the protest site.

“They are using thousands of police personnel to save that one man,” she said, referring to the security arrangements around the demonstration while reiterating the protesters’ demand for Kumar’s resignation.

Bora also said Friday’s mobilisation was not restricted to Delhi and claimed that the protest would continue to spread across the country.

Meanwhile, political activist Yogendra Yadav announced that he would participate in the next round of demonstrations. In a post on X, he wrote, “Jantar Mantar 2.0 Continues…We meet again today. 3 October,” and said the gathering would take place at Jantar Mantar at 1 pm.

The protests have been organised over allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and include a demand for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Around 1,000 Detained Across Delhi

Around 1,000 people were detained across Delhi on Friday as police and security forces prevented protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar for the proposed demonstration.

The protest had been scheduled for 11 am and was backed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), AISA, Students’ Federation of India (SFI), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and several other student and youth organisations.

Nearly 750 people were detained from areas around Jantar Mantar, while another 400 were detained from different parts of Delhi during the day. Around 200 people were also placed under house arrest in the morning, according to the figures cited in the report.

Those detained from the streets were taken in Delhi Police buses to different police stations.

Among those detained were former Delhi chief minister and senior AAP leader Atishi, AISA president Neha Bora and Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav. Several other AAP leaders, civil society activists, members of Left-backed student organisations and Congress youth wing workers were also detained.

More than 5,000 security personnel were deployed in and around Jantar Mantar as authorities sought to prevent protesters from reaching the designated demonstration site.