Protesters Hide in Washrooms, Gurdwara To Evade Delhi Police

New Delhi: Public washrooms and a gurdwara became unlikely hiding places for protesters in Delhi on Saturday as thousands of police and paramilitary personnel launched a crackdown on demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Protesters hid overnight in public washrooms, took shelter at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib and repeatedly emerged onto the streets before retreating to evade detention, turning the police crackdown into a game of hide-and-seek.

At an NDMC public washroom in Connaught Place, police found more than 20 young protesters who had spent the night inside, hoping to evade security checks ahead of the planned march to Jantar Mantar.

The group had gathered at the washroom after restrictions were announced across the city on Friday. The facility, which closes at 10 pm and reopens at 6 am, offered them temporary shelter. However, police discovered them during a morning inspection and took them into custody. Some protesters had allegedly forced open the door to enter the facility.

Several protesters, their faces covered, continued raising slogans and banging on the interiors of police vehicles even after being detained.

Similar scenes unfolded outside Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, where young protesters who had taken shelter overnight repeatedly emerged to join demonstrations before retreating inside as police approached.

Chants of "Inquilab Zindabad" and "Jai Bhim" echoed through the surrounding lanes as groups of protesters gathered outside the gurdwara. Police detained several demonstrators as they attempted to march towards Jantar Mantar.

According to people familiar with the developments, police had approached gurdwara representatives, asking them not to allow protesters to take shelter on the premises. However, the representatives refused, saying the protesters were unarmed and were not raising slogans inside.

"We won't let police enter the premises. Protesters are unarmed and not raising slogans inside, so we are not against them," a representative said.

The presence of police personnel carrying lathis near the place of worship and the detention of protesters drew criticism from some visitors.

Several student and youth organisations also attempted to march from Baba Kharak Singh Road towards Ashoka Road. Some protesters rushed into the gurdwara as police moved in to detain them.

At Kerala House, several CPM leaders, including former chief ministers, who had stayed there overnight, were detained when they stepped out to join the protest.

The demonstrations, called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and Left organisations, were held amid unprecedented security arrangements across the national capital.

More than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed, while 45 Metro stations were closed and traffic restrictions imposed on 30 road stretches around Jantar Mantar.

Police conducted identity checks and vehicle inspections at border points, railway stations, bus terminals, hotels and other sensitive locations. Steel spikes were also placed on some roads to prevent vehicles from evading checkpoints.

Despite the extensive security arrangements, protesters continued to gather in small groups, retreat to nearby shelters and return to the streets, leading to repeated confrontations with police throughout the day.