700 Cops Deployed, 150 CJP Supporters Detained in Pune Ahead of Protest
Police tighten security near Lal Mahal over planned agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
Pune : A massive police deployment was put in place near Lal Mahal in Pune on Saturday, October 10, as police detained around 100 to 150 supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) ahead of their planned protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Nearly 500 to 700 police personnel were deployed in and around the historic site to prevent the gathering from proceeding. Police said the demonstration had not been granted permission, prompting preventive action against those assembling for the protest.
Anuja Deshmane, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Vishrambaug Division), said the detained individuals were supporters of the movement organised by the CJP. They would be released after verification if they were not found to be involved in any other cases, she said.
Police vans were stationed near Lal Mahal, while five to six vehicles were reportedly used to transport those detained. Plainclothes personnel were also deployed to monitor the situation. Police teams searched the Wada premises and other locations where additional protesters were suspected to be present.
The police action in Pune came amid heightened security ahead of the CJP’s planned nationwide agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party has demanded his resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming that eligible voters’ names have been deleted. These allegations remain contested.
Media reports said CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and other party members were detained after arriving at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday.
The detentions in Pune were part of wider preventive measures reported ahead of the planned agitation. Police maintained that the gathering near Lal Mahal was unauthorised and warned that further action could be taken if more supporters assembled.
