More than 7,000 people have reportedly been detained at different locations in and around Delhi as police tightened security to prevent a proposed protest at Jantar Mantar, while YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was released after around 20 hours in custody and later said he remained an Indian citizen.
Rathee released a video message on X after his release on Sunday, showing his passport and saying that he was, and would remain, an Indian citizen. His statement came amid online speculation about whether he held a foreign passport and whether his citizenship had any connection with the police action against him.
In the video, Rathee alleged that he had not been formally detained but had been kidnapped. He said that people in plain clothes entered his bedroom while he was sleeping, pushed his mother and took away his phone. According to his account, he was dragged out of the house without being allowed to put on slippers and taken away in a jeep.
Rathee further alleged that he was not allowed to contact his lawyer or access his phone. He said he was taken from one police station to another and kept there for about 20 hours. He also claimed that he suffered injuries during the incident. These allegations were made by Rathee in his video and were not independently verified in the report.
Rathee was reportedly taken into custody from his residence in Sector 56, Gurugram, on Saturday. The report said the action took place as security arrangements were tightened in the national capital. Police sources cited in the report said that more than 7,000 protesters had been detained from different locations.
The security measures were linked to a proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities connected with the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, exercise. The report did not provide details of the alleged irregularities or specify the total number of people formally arrested, as distinct from those detained or prevented from reaching the protest site.
A police source cited by the report said Rathee could face further detention or legal action if he attempted to go to Jantar Mantar despite the imposition of Section 163. The provision, as referred to in the report, was being used in the context of restrictions on public assembly and movement during the security operation.
The episode highlights how protest-control measures in the capital can extend beyond the immediate demonstration site, affecting people travelling from neighbouring urban areas such as Gurugram. It also raises questions about the distinction between preventive detention, arrest and informal movement restrictions, although the available report does not include a police statement responding directly to Rathee’s allegations.
The immediate next step mentioned in the report is the possibility of further police action if Rathee attempts to reach Jantar Mantar while the restrictions remain in force.
