Delhi Police filed several First Information Reports (FIRs) on Saturday against people accused of breaking prohibitory orders in and around Connaught Place during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Lehra Do Tiranga” protest the day before. According to sources, police registered the FIRs after Friday’s gathering, which went ahead despite clear restrictions and repeated police announcements telling people to leave.
Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were in place in Connaught Place and nearby areas, banning large gatherings. Central Park was closed to the public on both Friday and Saturday for administrative reasons. Police had refused permission for the CJP’s planned event at the site and instead offered to help a smaller group wave the national flag at another location. Still, groups gathered in and around the area, carrying the tricolour and shouting slogans.
A police source said, “Despite repeated announcements asking people to disperse, a crowd gathered in and around Connaught Place on Friday, prompting the police to initiate legal action.” Officials added that they would take more action against those who break the rules again. Most cases involve violating the prohibitory orders.
CJP founder and convener Abhijeet Dipke called for the demonstration after two party members, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were sent to judicial custody earlier in the week for allegedly trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which is no longer a protest site. Dipke asked supporters to gather at Central Park at 5 pm on October 16, saying that waving the national flag is not a crime. This protest was part of the group’s larger campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Security was tight, with about 6,000 Delhi Police officers and Central Armed Police Forces deployed in central Delhi from early afternoon. Officials said the police far outnumbered the roughly 2,000 people who attended, based on police estimates.
By evening, police had detained about 150 people from Connaught Place, Mandi House, and roads near Jantar Mantar, and removed them from the area. Among those detained were Dipke, who was held under preventive detention while leaving a home in central Delhi, and student activist Neha Bora. Earlier, police had given Dipke notices under Section 163 of the BNSS for an alleged bond violation related to earlier cases.
Protesters gathered in smaller groups instead of one large crowd. They held placards and the national flag and shouted slogans against the Election Commission. There were no major reports of lathi charges or tear gas during the day. Some minor scuffles happened as police tried to disperse the crowds.
Earlier this year, remarks attributed to the Chief Justice of India compared some unemployed youth to “cockroaches.” Founded by Dipke, a Boston University graduate, it grew into a youth-led street campaign focused on issues ranging from examination paper leaks to electoral reforms. Friday’s events marked the latest in a series of confrontations between the group and authorities in the Capital.
Police said the restrictions were needed to prevent disruption in a busy commercial area with few entry points, risks of congestion, and possible problems for traders, commuters, and emergency services. Filing the FIRs shows that legal action will continue against those who gathered despite the orders.