Actor Imran Khan was among more than 400 protesters detained in Mumbai during demonstrations in support of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The detentions took place at August Kranti Maidan and other locations across the city as police moved to prevent unauthorised gatherings.
Earlier in the day, at least 200 people, including members of activist Tushar Gandhi-led organisation 'Hum Bharat Ke Log' and supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), were detained from the same spot. The protesters had assembled without permission to express solidarity with the CJP's demonstration in the national capital.
An official said the process of registering an FIR against those detained was underway.
In a separate action, workers of the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) were detained while protesting near Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai in support of the CJP
PROTESTERS DEMAND CEC'S RESIGNATION
One of the protesters, Rubaid Bhojani, alleged that police took the demonstrators into custody "very brutally".
"We voted for the Prime Minister, but he betrayed us. We demand Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar's resignation," Bhojani said.
Earlier in the day, Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was picked up from Bandra and taken to DN Nagar police station. A large number of people gathered outside the police station, which was also visited by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray.
Gandhi, who heads 'Hum Bharat Ke Log', had shared a poster on X urging citizens to join a protest gathering at August Kranti Maidan at 3.30 pm.
Activist Feeroz Mithiborwala was also taken into custody from his residence and shifted to the MIDC police station.
SECURITY TIGHTENED ACROSS MUMBAI
Police deployed additional personnel, including women officers, at Shivaji Park in Dadar to prevent CJP members from staging a demonstration. Security was also stepped up at other locations across Mumbai.
Authorities said August Kranti Maidan was not a designated protest site under a Bombay High Court order, prompting preventive action to maintain law and order.
The CJP has called a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and changes relating to Form 6, which is used for voter registration.
