Cockroach Jana Party founder Abhijit Deepak detained ahead of planned flag hoisting protest in Delhi
Abhijit Deepak, founder of Cockroach Jana Party, was placed in preventive detention on Friday after being apprehended near an NCP (Sharad Pawar) spokesperson's residence in Delhi. The move came after Deepak announced plans for a 'Lehraa do Tirangaa' (Hoist the Tricolour) protest demonstration at the Central Park in Connaught Place.
During the detention, police cited Section 163 applicable in the Connaught Place area. Deepak contested the action, asking officers which law he had violated. Police stated he could not enter New Delhi and was being detained under preventive custody provisions.
Delhi Police had previously issued a notice against the proposed gathering, citing lack of legal permission for the social media call to assemble at 5 p.m. The police cited Delhi High Court directives, warning that an unauthorized crowd at the commercial hub could disrupt traffic, public order, and business operations. The notice highlighted that Connaught Place hosts numerous shops, restaurants, hotels, banks, and offices, and that the Rajiv Chowk metro station—serving the Blue and Yellow lines with approximately two lakh daily commuters—could face congestion and disorder.
Ashutosh Ranka's team, currently jailed, questioned the detention in a statement, asking whether such was the state of patriotism when activists were arrested before hoisting the national flag.
