Delhi Police file 4 FIRs over INDIA bloc march to SC; detain Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das from Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) Delhi Police have registered four FIRs in connection with the INDIA bloc's protest march to the Supreme Court, police sources said on Tuesday. The cases were registered at the Connaught Place, Tilak Marg, Mandir Marg, and Barakhamba police stations. 

These FIRs have been filed for violation of Section 163 of the BNSS.

Two FIRs have been filed at the Tilak Marg police station, one at the Mandir Marg police station, and one at the Barakhamba police station, according to Delhi Police sources.

In another development, the police detained several protesters, including CJP's Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, from Jantar Mantar. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted a video of a flash protest at Jantar Mantar where CJP volunteers were seen climbing an iron gate and a police barricade to reach Jantar Mantar to protest.

In the video of the protest, CJP leader Ranka and Das alongwith a few volunteers can be seen jumping a gate with flags in their hands and entering the area to stage a protest. The group raised slogans as they were chased by the police who were stationed there. The protesters had a little run in with cops who tried to stop them while they raised Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Inquilab Zindabaad slogans. The protesters were later detained and taken away. 

The march on Monday witnessed a gathering of INDIA bloc leaders, activists and civil society members in central Delhi protesting against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. A delegation of the leaders subsequently approached the Supreme Court with a joint petition challenging the SIR process.

The march came a day after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a request to meet Opposition leaders over the issue, citing that the matter was sub judice.

Meanwhile, the Congress party claimed on its social media handles that 2.5 lakh people had participated in the protest. The 'March for Democracy', which began at the Constitution Club around 1.30 p.m., continued for more than four hours and proceeded largely unhindered by police barricades.

The march also witnessed several lighter moments, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge donning a Batman mask.

Despite a proposal by the INDIA bloc leaders that only the national flag should be displayed during the march, Congress flags dominated the gathering. Flags belonging to Left student organisations were also visible.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has invited the INDIA bloc leaders, civil society members and student organisations for a high tea at his residence at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. A press conference is also scheduled ahead of the meeting, a day after the Opposition's march to the Supreme Court over the SIR of electoral rolls.

Meanwhile, a security review of three newly designated protest sites has been completed, sources said. The decision was based on real-time inputs received by the Ministry of Home Affairs' control room. Security deployment strategies are being assessed and revised daily, they added.

A majority of the protesters were Congress supporters who had travelled from different parts of the country to participate in the demonstration.

--IANS

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