Mumbai Police detained demonstrators and sealed August Kranti Maidan on Saturday as protesters gathered near Nana Chowk in solidarity with ongoing demonstrations in Delhi, restricting access to the public ground and disrupting movement along Gowalia Tank Road.
According to a report by Mid-Day, heavy police deployment and barricades were placed around the area ahead of a gathering scheduled for 3.30 pm. Protesters were reportedly prevented from reaching the Maidan, while access to the nearby skywalk was also restricted.
Slogans including “Inquilab Zindabad” continued to be raised as demonstrators were taken into custody, the report said. Some protesters attempted to avoid detention by running into nearby buildings, after which police personnel chased and removed them, according to the account.
The detentions also led to confrontations between female protesters and women police personnel. The protesters objected to being touched during the arrests, while some demonstrators resisted being taken into custody. Mid-Day reported that protesters continued shouting slogans as they were moved towards police vans.
Gowalia Tank Road was shut to traffic during the police action. Only local residents were permitted to pass through the area, while the Maidan remained sealed ahead of the planned gathering. The restrictions affected access to a public open space as well as movement on a road used by residents and other road users.
The report said most of the protesters did not reach August Kranti Maidan because of the barricading and police presence at Nana Chowk. The gathering was described as being held in solidarity with demonstrations in Delhi, although the report did not provide further details about the demands or organisers of those demonstrations.
The police action also raised questions among protesters about how the city authorities handle public assembly and dissent in central Mumbai. Protesters alleged that police personnel forcibly detained people, including women. These allegations were reported by Mid-Day and were not accompanied in the supplied report by a response from Mumbai Police.
Mridula Shankar, identified by Mid-Day as a protester, said the police approach was “heavyhanded” and resembled policing criticised during demonstrations in Delhi. The comment reflected the protesters’ account of the detentions and the restrictions imposed around the Maidan.
August Kranti Maidan, located in the Gowalia Tank area, is a public gathering space, making the police decision to seal it significant for both access and traffic management in the surrounding neighbourhood. In this instance, the restrictions extended beyond the event site to Gowalia Tank Road and the adjoining skywalk.
The supplied report did not state how many people were detained, whether any cases were registered, how long the road closures would continue or when access to August Kranti Maidan would be restored.
