Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee Detained Amid Voter List Discrepancy Row; Over 1,000 in Police Custody

New Delhi — High drama unfolded in the national capital as Delhi Police detained former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while they were heading toward Jantar Mantar to join a high-stakes demonstration. Across multiple central Delhi locations—including Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place, and Minto Bridge—police have taken over 1,000 protesters into custody.

The demonstration escalated into clashes when protesters breached security barricades. Police used force to disperse the crowds, leaving one demonstrator with severe head injuries. Near Akashvani Bhawan on Imtiaz Ali Marg, protesters breached cordons and threw stones at security personnel, injuring two police officers.

Protests Target CEC Resignation and Voter List Inconsistencies

The demonstrations, organized under the banner of the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) alongside civil society groups and student organizations, demand the immediate halt of the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged severe discrepancies in electoral rolls.

Prominent figures, including activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan, political activist Yogendra Yadav, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and AISA President Neha Bora, led a protest march from near INA toward Jantar Mantar, meeting heavy police deployments at multiple junctions.

Development economist Jean Drèze criticized the extensive security lockdown, stating: "The government is not alarmed by a security threat or violence, but by the fear that citizens will realize their right to vote is being undermined."

CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke Detained from Flight; Grandmother Passes Away

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police detained CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke directly from inside his Mumbai-to-Delhi flight immediately upon landing, along with fellow leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. In a pre-recorded statement released after his detention, Dipke announced that Ajinkya Shinde would lead the campaign in his absence.

Meanwhile, Abhijeet Dipke was informed while in police custody of the demise of his 85-year-old grandmother, Savitribai Shankar Dipke, who passed away following prolonged illness in their ancestral village of Santuk Pimpri in Hingoli district, Maharashtra. Police sources indicated that Dipke must decide whether to remain in custody to continue the agitation or seek clearance to travel home for the last rites.