AISA accuses Delhi police of hiding Neha Bora's location
AISA has made serious allegations against Delhi police regarding Neha Bora's detention.
A controversy has erupted over police action ahead of the ‘Lahara Do Tiranga’ protest march in Delhi on Friday, October 16, 2026. Abhijit Deepke, founder of the Cockroach People’s Party (CJP), and Neha Bora, president of the All India Students Association (AISA), were detained by the Delhi police. The march was scheduled to take place at 5 PM in Connaught Place.
Hours before the protest, the police issued a notice to Deepke, instructing him not to participate in the march. Meanwhile, Neha Bora was detained near Mandi House. During this time, there was a heavy police presence in several areas of central Delhi, and reports indicate that at least 150 people were taken into custody.
CJP founder Abhijit Deepke was detained on Friday from his residence in Jhandewalan. He was on his way to join the proposed ‘Lahara Do Tiranga’ march in Connaught Place when police officers stopped him and informed him that precautionary action was being taken against him. He was then taken away in a police vehicle.
A video shared by CJP shows Deepke stating that he was alone and had not broken any law by merely stepping outside his home. However, he was taken into custody by the police.
Earlier, some Delhi police personnel arrived at the residence where Deepke was staying. They handed him a notice instructing him not to participate in the march. The notice stated that Connaught Place is not a notified location for protests. The police also cited Section 163 of the Indian National Security Code (BNSS) in this regard.
AISA president Neha Bora was also detained on Friday. She was on her way to join the march near Mandi House. It was reported that she was taken into custody shortly after the march began.
AISA has made serious allegations against the Delhi police regarding Bora's detention. The organization claims that Neha was taken away in a car with tinted windows from the Anti-Narcotics Task Force office in Mangolpuri. They alleged that she was not allowed to meet her lawyers.
AISA and CJP expressed concern over the whereabouts of the detained leaders and the inability to contact them. CJP alleges that Deepke has been taken to an unknown location and is not being allowed to speak with lawyers. However, the police have yet to respond to these allegations.
In anticipation of the ‘Lahara Do Tiranga’ march, the Delhi police had tightened security in several areas of central Delhi. A large number of police personnel were deployed around Connaught Place, Janpath Road, and Mandi House. The detention actions led to chaos at the scene, with a crowd of protesters, camera crews, and security personnel gathering.
According to reports, at least 150 people were taken into custody in these areas. The police also installed over 10 CCTV cameras around Central Park and Rajiv Chowk to monitor the proposed march. Additionally, drones were used for crowd surveillance.
The notice issued by the police before the protest and the detention of the leaders have intensified the debate over the right to peaceful protest. CJP and AISA are questioning the police's actions.
The ‘Lahara Do Tiranga’ march was being organized at a time when there was already controversy regarding designated locations for protests in Delhi. Earlier, on October 13, CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to judicial custody after they entered Jantar Mantar, leading to action against them. It was reported that Jantar Mantar had been removed from the list of notified locations for protests. The proposed march by CJP was being organized against this backdrop. The organization had planned to hold a Tiranga march in Connaught Place, but the police attempted to stop it, citing that it was not an authorized protest site.
CJP chief Abhijit Deepke and AISA president Neha Bora's detention has also drawn criticism from former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader M.K. Stalin. On Friday evening, he demanded the immediate release of both leaders and criticized the central government.
Stalin wrote on the social media platform X that,
the detention of Deepke and Neha is “openly illegal and extremely inhumane.” He also raised questions about their whereabouts and demanded their immediate release from the central government.
Stalin stated that,
the central government should stop suppressing peaceful protests. He also mentioned that every attempt to crush the movement will only make it stronger.
Following the detention of CJP and AISA leaders, issues such as the permission for protests in Delhi, police precautionary actions, and the provision of legal assistance to those detained are under discussion. While the police cited Connaught Place as not being a notified protest site and referenced Section 163 of the BNSS, the protesting organizations have described the actions as an attempt to suppress peaceful dissent.
Currently, CJP and AISA have made serious allegations regarding the detention of Deepke and Neha. The situation surrounding the entire incident will only become clear after a detailed police response to these allegations and official confirmation of the whereabouts of both leaders.