NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has released all protesters detained at various detention centres in the capital during Saturday’s crackdown on the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned protest, except its leaders, police sources quoted by news agency ANI said.Due legal process will be followed in the case of CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, they added.More than 7,000 people, including opposition leaders and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, were detained as police prevented protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls.Among those detained were AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and former chief ministers Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and Manik Sarkar. Police also detained several activists, student leaders and journalists during the day.Dipke, Das and Ranka were detained from inside an aircraft after their flight from Mumbai landed in Delhi. Police had denied permission for the protest, citing security and law-and-order concerns. Jantar Mantar remained largely deserted amid heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel and barricades across central Delhi.The crackdown drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders, with several comparing it to the Emergency. The BJP, however, called the protest a “flop show” and accused the opposition of attempting to disrupt normal life in the capital.Police also reported incidents of stone-pelting near Akashwani Bhawan and Connaught Place, in which seven personnel were injured. Multiple FIRs are likely to be registered in connection with the alleged assaults, a senior officer said.(With agency inputs)
