Pune Police detained around 100 to 150 supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) near Lal Mahal in Kasba Peth on October 10, before a planned demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar could proceed. Police said the gathering had not received permission and that preventive action was taken to stop the protest from assembling.
Anuja Deshmane, Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Vishrambaug Division, said the detained people were supporters of the movement organised by the CJP. She said they would be released after an investigation if they were not found to be involved in any other cases.
A police officer separately said the detentions were being carried out in accordance with directions from the Union Home Ministry. Five to six police vans were used to transport those detained, according to the officer. The source report did not specify the legal provisions under which the detentions were made.
Police maintained a heavy security presence in and around Lal Mahal, with approximately 500 to 700 personnel deployed in the area. Some officers were stationed in plain clothes to monitor the situation, while several police vans remained positioned near the historic site.
Officers also indicated that further detentions could follow if additional supporters attempted to gather. A police officer said some CJP supporters were still inside the Wada premises while the operation was under way. Personnel were searching the premises and other locations where protesters might be present, the officer said, adding that people identified as participants in the proposed demonstration would be detained.
According to information available from the site, the gathering involved CJP supporters rather than the party’s official office-bearers. The report did not provide a response from the party or the detained individuals regarding the police action.
The operation in Pune came as the CJP planned a nationwide protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The party’s campaign seeks Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, including claims that eligible voters’ names have been removed. Those allegations remain contested.
Delhi Police had reportedly refused permission for the proposed demonstration. Media reports also said CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and other party members were detained aboard an aircraft after it landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday. The source report said preventive measures had also been reported across Maharashtra ahead of the planned agitation.
Police in Pune cited the absence of permission for the gathering near Lal Mahal as the reason for the action. The immediate next step, according to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, is an investigation followed by the release of those detained if they are not linked to other cases.
