Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was detained by Delhi Police on Saturday after staging a sit-in on a road near the South Avenue bus stand in New Delhi, amid escalating protests demanding the removal of India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
According to live updates reported by Hindustan Times, Banerjee was taken into custody while holding a dharna against the election chief.
The Trinamool Congress leader had earlier indicated that she might join a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, where protesters were demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
Her reported detention came amid a sweeping security operation across the Indian capital, with police detaining more than 1,000 people ahead of Saturday’s demonstration.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and two other senior leaders were also detained after arriving at Delhi airport, according to Hindustan Times.
Authorities deployed thousands of security personnel, barricaded major roads, restricted mobile internet access and disrupted metro services to prevent protesters from gathering in central Delhi.
The protests centre on allegations that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has resulted in the wrongful removal of millions of eligible voters.
The Election Commission has rejected allegations of deliberate manipulation, maintaining that the exercise is intended to identify duplicate and ineligible entries.
Delhi Police said permission for the Jantar Mantar demonstration had been denied because organisers submitted their application too late and cited public-order concerns.
The confrontation has intensified political tensions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and opposition parties over the independence and functioning of India’s election authorities.