Police sources said around 120 people from Ladakh, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had marched to the capital to demand sixth status for the federal territory, have been City border detained by Delhi Police.
According to Delhi Police sources, the detainees, including Wangchuk, had gone to Alipur and other police stations along the city’s borders.
Wangchuk and others wanted to spend the night at the border. They were initially asked to return due to the ban imposed by Delhi, but police deployed at the border detained about 120 men, including Wangchuk, when they did not stop, police officers said.
They have been being held at Alipur police station and other police stations near the Delhi-Haryana border, the official said, adding that they would be released after some time.
The women who took part in the march were not detained, sources said, adding that the detentions were in view of the ban on gatherings of five or more people in north and central Delhi.
Wangchuk posted on Instagram shortly before his detention, sharing video from the Delhi border where their bus was stopped amid a heavy police presence.
The climate activist can be seen interacting with police in the video.
Wangchuck said in the post that several vehicles from the Delhi Police and Haryana Police were accompanying their bus, and while they initially thought they were being escorted, as they approached the national capital, it became clear that they would be detained.
“As we approached Delhi, it seemed that instead of being escorted, we were detained,” Wangchuk said.
He said around 1,000 police personnel have been deployed at Delhi borders and they have been informed that heavy security forces have been deployed in Delhi’s Ladakh Bhawan and areas where Ladakh students live.
“It seems like they don’t want that to happen,” he said.
The ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’ was organized by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has been spearheading the agitation for the past four years in support of statehood, extension of the sixth schedule of the Constitution, early Recruitment process and Public Service Commission in Ladakh and Independent Lok Sabha seats in Leh and Kargil regions.
Delhi Police on Monday banned gathering of five or more people, carrying banners, placards, weapons and/or protests in central and border areas of the national capital, citing law and order concerns. by several organizations.
According to an order issued by the Delhi Police Headquarters, Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora has directed the implementation of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (earlier Section 144 of the CrPC) along with others in New Delhi, North and Central districts and all police stations. States bordering jurisdiction.
The ban is in effect until October 5.