As many as 40 platoons of reserve police force have been deployed in Bengaluru

As many as 25 people, including historian and author Ramachandra Guha, were detained by the police when they attempted to stage a peaceful protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act at Town Hall in Bengaluru around 11am on Thursday. He was bundled into a van when he tried to defend his right to take out a peaceful rally.

The police also rounded up protesters from surrounding streets and roads as they were making their way to the spot. A similar scene played out at Mysore Circle when people started gathering there.

Also read: People should protest peacefully and restore pluralistic values: Ramachandra Guha

At Town Hall, the police rounded up protesters in buses, while women were being taken to the police station in auto-rickshaws. “This is not done. We are here to protest peacefully,” said one agitator.

WhatsApp messages have also been doing the rounds urging citizens to lend their support and gather at Town Hall.“We will be peaceful… Please turn up,” read one such message.

Vatal Nagaraj detained at his residence

Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha (KCVP) leader Vatal Nagaraj was detained at his residence in Dollars Colony minutes before he planned to take out a protest.

As many as 40 platoons of reserve police force have been deployed along with the city police at sensitive points across the city to maintain law and order after Section 144 was imposed across the state last evening. “Police personnel have been instructed not to use force, keeping in mind what happened in Delhi,” said a senior police official referring to the violence of the police response to student protests at Jamia Islamia Millia, and the ensuing nationwide unrest.