Mumbai: Activist Anjali Damania was among dozens of persons detained on Sunday when they arrived at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai's Dadar area to take part in a protest in support of the Cockroach Janta Party, police officials said.
Damania was intercepted near the iconic ground and taken to an undisclosed location in a private vehicle, the officials said.
"As I reached Shivaji Park in support of CJP, police officers came in plainclothes and detained me. All the police personnel were in plain clothes, and I do not know where they are taking me," Damania told PTI.
Officials said most of those detained in the vicinity have been shifted to Shivaji Park police station. Some have been taken to nearby police stations, they added.
Legal action will be taken against those who are assembling at Shivaji Park to protest without obtaining permission from authorities, a senior police official said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said the BJP is in so much fear that even in Mumbai they are detaining students who are protesting peacefully but fearlessly against a regime.
In a post on X, the Worli MLA slammed the ruling dispensation and also offered support to those being detained.
"The Mumbai Police, it seems, now is being made to take orders from the very top- the very top that is hiding behind barricades of the police force. Do let us know where all you are being taken. We are coming. Also we will stand by you legally," Thackeray said on X.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Amit Thackeray questioned the reason behind the police detaining the protesters.
"From tomorrow our MNS activists will be there (to protest)," Amit Thackeray said.
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande alleged that an official from the Shivaji Park Police and BJP workers were instigating Navratri mandal functionaries to attack CJP protesters. These functionaries are being promised legal support for their actions, Deshpande further alleged.
"What kind of democracy is this? You don’t give a place for people to protest and when people come to protest you will arrest them.
Is the police’s job to stop riots or engineer them," Deshpande asked.
The area is witnessing heavy police deployment along with barricaded roads amid efforts by authorities to ensure there are no unauthorised protests.
On Saturday, police had detained around 600 people from various locations in Mumbai for protesting without permission in solidarity with CJP.
The demonstrations were held at the August Kranti Maidan, Hutatma Chowk and other locations in the metropolis.
The CJP has been protesting against alleged irregularities in voter rolls and is seeking Chief Election Commission Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.