Dipke had called on supporters to gather at Central Park in Connaught Place at 5 pm for a rally with the Tricolour on Friday. However, officials said the park, the proposed venue for the demonstration, would remain closed for two days.
Also read: Tricolour, barricades and a 5 pm call: Delhi braces for a CJP rally in another national capital showdown
The central part of the national capital remained heavily guarded early Friday, with 220 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed and an expanded CCTV camera network put in place ahead of the planned gathering.
Security tightened ahead of CJP rally
The police action comes amid heightened tensions over the CJP’s protests and follows last weekend’s detention of thousands of demonstrators and restrictions that effectively shut down parts of the capital.
Friday’s proposed march is expected to test the authorities’ handling of demonstrations by the youth-led outfit, which has called for supporters to assemble in central Delhi despite the restrictions.
Also read: ‘Businesses suffer when government shuts down cities, not from peaceful protests’: CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke
Arrests of CJP leaders draw Amnesty’s concern
The latest confrontation follows the arrest of two CJP leaders, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were sent to judicial custody for five days after allegedly removing barricades and entering Jantar Mantar, which was recently de-notified as a protest site.
Amnesty International India has called for the immediate release of Das and Ranka, arguing that their arrests and the removal of Jantar Mantar as a protest venue threaten the right to dissent.
