Tushar Gandhi, actor Imran Khan among 400 detained at Mumbai protest backing CJP stir

Bollywood actor Imran Khan was among those detained at the proposed protest venue. The police also detained several workers of the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) while they were demonstrating near Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai in support of the CJP, officials said.

Hundreds of people, including members of Gandhi's 'Hum Bharat Ke Log' organisation and CPI(M) activists, gathered at August Kranti Maidan without permission.

Around 200 of them were detained, an official said, adding that the process of registering a first information report (FIR) against them was underway.

One of the protesters, Rubaid Bhojani, alleged that the police took the demonstrators into custody "very brutally".

"We voted for the Prime Minister, but he betrayed us. We demand Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar's resignation," Bhojani said.

Earlier in the day, Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was picked up from Bandra and taken to D N Nagar police station. A large number of people gathered outside the police station, which was also visited by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray.

Gandhi, who heads 'Hum Bharat Ke Log', had shared a poster on X urging citizens to join a protest gathering at August Kranti Maidan at 3.30 pm.

Activist Feeroz Mithiborwala was also taken into custody from his residence and shifted to the MIDC police station.

Imran Khan, meanwhile, shared a photograph of himself apparently seated inside a police van, accompanied by the light-hearted caption: "Apparently I'm going for a drive."

Speaking to the media, the actor said he had come forward as a citizen of Mumbai rather than to press specific demands. He said he wanted to understand why freedom of movement was being restricted and why people's voices were being suppressed. "I don't have demands. I am here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city. I am here to see why freedom of movement is being restricted. Why are people's voices being suppressed? That is why I am here," the actor said.

Emphasising his position, Imran added, "I don't have any right to demand anything from people. I am not a part of any organisation. I will stand as a representative."

Meanwhile, additional police personnel, including women officers, were deployed at Shivaji Park in Dadar to prevent CJP members from staging a demonstration. Security was also stepped up at other locations across Mumbai.

Authorities said August Kranti Maidan was not a designated protest site under a Bombay High Court order, prompting preventive action to maintain law and order.

The CJP has called a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and changes relating to Form 6, which is used for voter registration.

Over 3,000 protesters had been detained across the national capital while attempting to march towards Jantar Mantar for the CJP-led protest, Delhi Police sources said on Saturday.