🔴 UPDATE (Oct 17, morning): Neha Bora has been released from detention after completing formalities, while Abhijeet Dipke has been placed under preventive arrest and will be produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court today. Read the full latest story here.
What Happened
The action unfolded in the hours leading up to the march, which was scheduled for 5 PM at Central Park in Connaught Place:
- Abhijeet Dipke detained from his residence: On October 16, 2026, Delhi Police reached the residence of Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the CJP (Cockroach Janta Party), and detained him minutes before the march was to begin. Police served him a notice under BNSS Section 163, citing prohibitory orders in force in the Connaught Place area and stating that the NDMC had not granted permission for the march. He was told: "Aap New Delhi nahi jaa sakte. Hum aapko detain kar rahe hain."
- Neha Bora detained at Mandi House: AISA leader Neha Bora was detained along with fellow protesters at the Mandi House roundabout while marching toward Connaught Place carrying the Indian tricolour.
- SFI contingent blocked: An SFI-led contingent was stopped by police at the Janpath–Tolstoy Marg junction.
- MPs joined the march: CPI(M) MPs John Brittas, Dr. V Sivadasan and A.A. Rahim joined youth organisations — SFI, DYFI, AISF and AIYF — marching with the national flag toward Central Park.
Who Was Detained
Abhijeet Dipke — Founder of the CJP (Cockroach Janta Party), the outfit behind the "Lehra Do Tiranga" call. He was picked up from his home after being served a BNSS Section 163 notice.
Neha Bora — A leader of the All India Students' Association (AISA), detained at the Mandi House roundabout along with fellow protesters carrying the tricolour.
Several other protesters marching with the national flag were also detained at various points, including the SFI-led group stopped at Janpath–Tolstoy Marg.
Background: Why the Tiranga March
The "Lehra Do Tiranga" march is part of an ongoing youth-led agitation demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The October 16 march follows a series of confrontations:
- October 10 protest: More than 4,000 people were reportedly detained during an earlier round of protests.
- October 13, Jantar Mantar: CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to judicial custody after waving the national flag at Jantar Mantar.
With prohibitory orders under BNSS Section 163 in force around Connaught Place and no permission granted by the NDMC, police moved pre-emptively on Friday to stop the 5 PM gathering at Central Park.
Reactions
The detentions triggered a wave of reactions on social media. An Instagram reel by Dhruv Rathee on the detentions went viral, crossing 1.15 lakh likes, as users shared updates from the ground.
Student organisations and opposition voices condemned the crackdown, calling the detention of flag-carrying protesters an attack on democratic dissent, while police maintained they were enforcing prohibitory orders.
What Happens Next
With Dipke detained and prohibitory orders still in place around Connaught Place, the immediate question is whether the march regroups elsewhere or shifts online. Past rounds — the October 10 detentions and the judicial custody of Das and Ranka — have only intensified the agitation so far. Expect further mobilisation calls from CJP, AISA, SFI and allied youth groups in the coming days, and watch for how the courts and the Election Commission respond to the SIR controversy at the heart of it all.
Watch: Ground Report
The Lallantop reports from the ground on what happened before Abhijeet Dipke's detention:
FAQs
Q1. Why was Abhijeet Dipke detained?
Delhi Police detained the CJP founder from his residence on October 16, 2026, serving him a notice under BNSS Section 163. Police cited prohibitory orders in the Connaught Place area and said the NDMC had not granted permission for the 5 PM "Lehra Do Tiranga" march at Central Park.
Q2. Who is Neha Bora?
Neha Bora is a leader of the All India Students' Association (AISA). She was detained along with fellow protesters at the Mandi House roundabout while marching toward Connaught Place with the Indian tricolour.
Q3. What is the "Lehra Do Tiranga" march about?
It is a youth-led protest demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Q4. What is BNSS Section 163?
Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita empowers authorities to issue prohibitory orders — the successor to the old CrPC Section 144 — restricting assemblies in a specified area. Police invoked it in the Connaught Place zone to block the march.
Q5. What happened to Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka?
The two CJP members were sent to judicial custody after waving the national flag at Jantar Mantar on October 13, days before the October 16 detentions.
Delhi Police detained CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and AISA leader Neha Bora on Friday evening, just before the scheduled 5 PM "Lehra Do Tiranga" march at Central Park, Connaught Place. The detentions mark a sharp escalation in the capital's crackdown on the youth-led protest demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Here is everything we know so far — what happened, who was detained, why the march was called, and what comes next.