Mumbai CJP protest sees 300 detentions as Aaditya, Amit Thackeray challenge police action

The second day of protests in Mumbai led by the Cockroach Janta Party CJP demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter list fraud and other irregularities saw scuffles between police and protesters with at least 300 detentions carried outThe protest scheduled for 4 pm saw scores of youths march to Shivaji Park on Sunday evening However within minutes a number of them were detained in police vans and taken away according to CJP members Among them were anticorruption activist Anjali Damania and lawyers The Mumbai Police had also reportedly restricted all access roads leading to the park anticipating larger crowds later in the eveningKunal Kamerkar Thane coordinator CJP alleged ldquoWe were anticipating about 500 protesters to come to Shivaji Park on Sunday but the police force doubled its presence there We were detained within minutes and the police have not been answering our questions as to why we are being taken away They have detained many citizens at Tardeo police station who werenrsquot even there for the protest By 6 pm nearly 25 citizens were brought thererdquoChaitali Doshi a CJP member said ldquoI got down from my cab outside Sena Bhavan The police detained me even before I could cross the road to head towards Shivaji Park However they treated us well during detention and we made sure that our voices were heard wherever we were takenrdquoNonprotesters detainedKamerkar claimed that a shopper travelling from Malad who had no intention of participating in the protest was wrongfully detained by the police in Dadar ldquoA detainee who claimed that he was not a protester started having a fit or a panic attack at Tardeo police station He was then taken to a hospital on a stretcherrdquo said Kamerkar The man was taken to Nair hospital Witnesses also alleged that civilians standing outside eateries around Shivaji Park were either dispersed or detainedLeaders join inSandeep Deshpande an MNS leader claimed the police had been coordinating with Shivaji Park residents and Navratri mandals to confront the CJP ldquoThe police called a meeting with these groups at Chaityabhoomi to encourage them to confront CJP protesters It isnrsquot their job to turn citizens against citizensrdquo he told the media MNS leader Amit Thackeray was also seen at Shivaji Park challenging the detainment of youth and protesters ldquoWe are planning to hold a protest at 5 pm on Monday We will not leave the Shivaji Park station until police stop these detentionsrdquo Deshpande saidOther Opposition leaders also came out in support of the protesters Shiv Sena UBT MLA Mahesh Sawant and brothers Aaditya and Tejas Thackeray were also seen protesting outside Sena Bhavan while blocking the path of a police van carrying detainees Accompanied by party workers Aaditya sat down on the road with the Indian Constitution blocking the vehiclersquos pathTaking to social media platform X Aaditya posted ldquoThe BJP is in such fear that even in Mumbai theyrsquore detaining students who are protesting peacefully but fearlessly against a regime The Mumbai Police it seems is now being made to take orders from the very top that is hiding behind barricades of the police force Do let us know where all you are being taken We are coming Also we will stand by you legallyrdquoPoliceSpeakA senior police officer informed midday that people had been detained because they did not have appropriate police permission to protest ldquoThe detainees were taken to Worli and Tardeo police stations from where they were releasedrdquo he statedldquoShivaji Park is not a place to protest and it seems that the protesters may get proper police permission for Azad Maidan While they were supportive at first Shivaji Park residents have been facing disturbances owing to these protests since they have to face the police bandobast often toordquo he addedSpeaking about allegations of nonprotesters being detained a senior police officer said ldquoWe asked the citizens for their names and addresses to ensure no local was detained Only the protesters were being taken by the Mumbai PolicerdquoMeanwhile in New DelhiA group of Mumbaikars protesting in Connaught Place were detained by the police in Mandi on Sunday Abhishek Kamble one such protester said ldquoWe were taken away in a van They drove us around Delhi for six to seven hours before taking us to the Dwarka police post near the DelhiHaryana border CJP supporters were already present there They helped us get off the bus When we asked the cops why we had been detained and assaulted a lsquothreestarrsquo officer hit another protester Pranay Ahire and me and an officer kneed Pranay in the ribs Pranay lay unconscious on the road for five to 10 minutes Later locals and CJP Nagpur supporters placed Pranay on a cot and took him to a nearby government hospital where he was admitted and we stayed until late at nightrdquopopcorn number300 descNo of people detained on Sunday classDefault