23,000 cops, facial recognition and more: How Delhi Police is geared up for CJP protest against Gyanesh Kumar on Oct 10

Maharashtra police have warned potential protesters against attending a planned agitation in Delhi on October 10. Activists and would-be protesters in the state claim they have been tracked, monitored, and in some cases detained by the police.

Sadaf Raza Zaidi, a creative strategist from Santacruz, said police personnel visited her home to question her about her plans for the protest. She was asked to sign a document stating she would not attend the demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Civil society group Hum Bharat Ke Log alleged that MIDC police detained activists Feroze Mithiborwala and Salim Saboowala. Mithiborwala said he faced repeated summonses and harassment since the July NEET protest. He was detained for two hours and asked not to attend the upcoming protest in Delhi. The police claim they have orders to collect data on potential protesters.

Mayur Sharma, an AISF member from Thane, said he received several calls from police officials asking about his travel plans to Delhi. He feared being stopped at Bandra Terminus, so he and a friend traveled to Borivali station and then took the train to Hazrat Nizamuddin station, where they changed to the Metro to avoid the police.

In Nagpur, CJP volunteers claimed that RPF personnel called them seeking information about their travel to Delhi, even offering to confirm the status of their train tickets. Two volunteers were served notices under Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, directing them not to attend the protest and warning of legal action if they did.