Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) member Abhijeet Dipke on Friday ahead of the outfit's planned 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march. According to police officials, Dipke was taken into custody while attempting to make his way toward Connaught Place in Central Delhi. Prior to the action, the law enforcement agency had formally urged him not to proceed with the demonstration and had visited his residential premises to serve a legal notice prohibiting an unapproved gathering.
Police Notice and Action at Jhandewalan Residence
Earlier in the day, a team consisting of 15 to 20 police personnel reached Dipke's residence in the Jhandewalan area, which belongs to his friend, to deliver the formal notice. Authorities instructed him not to organize or lead the march without obtaining prior statutory permissions. Senior officials emphasized that Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has been enforced in and around Central Park in Connaught Place, rendering gatherings unlawful in the demarcated zone. Delhi Police has also issued direct appeals advising citizens against traveling toward Central Park due to the regulatory restrictions in place.
Origins of the Protest and Closure of Central Park
The call for the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march was announced by Abhijeet Dipke for Friday evening at 5 PM at Central Park in Connaught Place. The demonstration was organized in protest against the alleged jailing of CJP members Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das for unfurling the national flag, while Also, demands were raised regarding Saurav Das and Abhishek seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In response to the proposed agitation, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) ordered the complete closure of Central Park for the general public across two days, covering Friday and Saturday on 16 and 17 October, accompanied by multi-layered security cordons.
Massive Security Blanket Across New Delhi
To preempt any breakdown of law and order during the scheduled march, an extensive security apparatus was mobilized across the national capital. Over 6000 personnel of the Delhi Police along with 220 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed across New Delhi, supported by comprehensive CCTV surveillance networks. Strategic checkpoints and barricades have been installed at high-footfall and sensitive transit points including Connaught Place, Rajiv Chowk, Central Park, Jantar Mantar, Palika Bazar, adjacent metro stations, and key arterial corridors of Lutyens Delhi such as Patel Chowk, ITO, and Parliament Street.
A senior police official confirmed that an additional reserve contingent of more than 5000 personnel from other police districts has been kept on standby to reinforce security if needed. Each CAPF company consists of approximately 100 personnel. Deployment schedules have been divided into 3 operational shifts throughout the day, stationing 30 CAPF companies per shift across sensitive intersections, neighboring border points, and peripheral districts, with provisions for escalated deployments if gatherings swell after dark.
Supreme Court Declines Urgent Hearing on Park Closure
The sudden closure of Central Park on 16 and 17 October by the NDMC also reached the Supreme Court through an urgent petition seeking immediate judicial review. However, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi declined to hold an immediate hearing on Friday. The bench expressed optimism regarding mutual restraint, observing, "We hope that good sense will prevail among all concerned. These are times when small shopkeepers earn their livelihood.
During the proceedings, Justice Bagchi noted the intersecting complexities of the situation, remarking, "Someone wants to protest, someone wants to sell peanuts, and someone wants to maintain law and order. " The court observed that if legitimate livelihoods and business are unlawfully impeded, it retains the authority to invoke its constitutional jurisdiction. Counsel appearing for the petitioner highlighted that the NDMC issued the closure directive late on Thursday night, crippling local business operations, while the bench signaled that while it retains the jurisdiction to intervene if executive measures are proven disproportionately harsh, the petition could be listed for regular consideration around 26 or 27 October.