New Delhi: Actor Imran Khan was among more than 400 people detained on Saturday at August Kranti Maidan, Mumbai, during widespread demonstrations in solidarity with the Cockroach Janata Party’s agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Mumbai Police barricaded August Kranti Maidan in south Mumbai and detained protesters at the site and nearby locations. Police also stepped up deployment at Shivaji Park in Dadar, while workers of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi were detained during protests near Hutatma Chowk.
In a video that has gone viral, Khan, dressed in a white shirt, is being dragged by police officers. The actor appeared to be smiling amid the commotion. Later, the actor posted a selfie on Instagram from inside the police van.
“Apparently, I am going for a drive,” he said.
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, singer-composer Vishal Dadlani and actor Kishore Kumar also criticised the handling of the CJP’s protest, with their social media posts drawing attention.
In an Instagram post, Kashyap wrote, “Do darpok, 40 hazaar gulaam, laakhon bahadur (two cowards, 40,000 slaves, millions of brave people)”.
Also read: Delhi Police drags, detains protesters at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. Many took shelter overnight
‘Entire world is watching’
Dadlani, on the other hand, questioned the scale of security arrangements in New Delhi, claiming that 23 battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had been deployed against citizens seeking to exercise their right to protest.
He added that personnel had been brought in from sensitive regions, including Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-affected areas, to be stationed at Jantar Mantar.
Referring to barricades, road restrictions and disruptions to metro and train services, Dadlani questioned the priorities behind the security arrangements.
“At this moment, the entire world is watching how far a country’s government is willing to go to protect one person,” he said.
The CJP had called for a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the use of Form 6, which is used to register new voters.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)