Over 260 individuals, including 10 Members of Parliament and top Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, were detained by the Delhi Police on Tuesday following a high-voltage protest march organized by the INDIA bloc toward the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters.
The opposition alliance was protesting against the functioning of the Election Commission and raised allegations regarding the ongoing electoral roll revision exercise.
High Security and Barricade Breaches
The protest march commenced around 10:30 AM from Parliament House toward the ECI office. According to law enforcement officials, no prior permission had been requested or granted for the rally, prompting strict security arrangements and the enforcement of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the New Delhi district.
Protesters breached the initial police barricade and advanced toward a second checkpoint near NITI Aayog. Despite repeated PA announcements by the police warning of legal action and urging peaceful dispersal, the gathering continued to press forward.
Detention Following Eight-Hour Sit-In
Following persistent non-compliance with police directives, security personnel began detaining protesters around mid-day, transporting them to various police stations across the national capital.
While most protesters cleared the area, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, Pawan Khera, and approximately 50 to 60 supporters entered the nearby Akashvani Bhawan premises without authorization and commenced a sit-in.
Rahul Gandhi maintained that he would not leave the venue until a delegation of MPs was granted an official appointment with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. After an eight-hour standoff inside Akashvani Bhawan, police personnel removed and detained the leaders to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Delhi Police confirmed that adequate security measures remain deployed across the central Delhi area and that the situation is being actively monitored.
