Bengaluru, 25 Feb

Cubbon Park Walkers' Association (CPWA) President, S Umesh Kumar, was detained by police, following a protest against the construction of a 10-storey annex in Cubbon Park, on Sunday. The action led to outrage among environmentalists and the public.

Talking to Salar News, Kumar said: “This is the work of the government to silence me and have their way with the construction. I am fighting this case on behalf of all the people who love Cubbon Park and who want to save it. The detention will not stop us from protesting in future.”

The proposed high-rise annex has been an issue since its proposal, drawing strong opposition from citizens who view the park as a vital green public space. CPWA, along with other environmental groups, have voiced strong objections to the project citing concerns about ecosystem and the rising traffic problems. 

Uma Shankar, who has been a part of the CPWA for more than 10 years, said, “This is highly unacceptable what the police and authorities are doing. We are just protesting in a peaceful way to spread the word to all the nature lovers, but it looks like many people from the government do not want us to succeed. But we will not stop until the construction is completely stopped for good.”

Salar News