Bhubaneswar, Aug. 26: Team Anna today failed to gather enough followers to demonstrate in front of chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence here today.

Two days ago, Arvind Kejriwal, a leader of the group, had announced that people in large numbers would surround the chief minister’s residence to protest against the coal allotment issue.

He said that Naveen had opposed the competitive bidding for coal blocks.

However, India Against Corruption could gather only a few supporters to participate in today’s programme.

While the police picked up 15 activists from outside the chief minister’s residence, 11 others were detained from near the state Assembly.

A large number of police personnel were deployed near the chief minister’s residence and at the demonstration site near the Assembly.

A handful of protesters managed to sneak through the security cordon around Naveen Niwas. However, police officers dismissed the claims of the protesters of breaking the security cordon.

“They were few in number and rode separately to the spot on their motorcycles in the morning. When they were trying to congregate at Airport Square near the chief minister’s residence, they were taken into custody. We did not give them a chance to demonstrate,” said an officer posted around the chief minister’s residence.

The officer said they were expecting these people to walk in a rally to Naveen Niwas and so, they had arranged for additional security on the way to Naveen’s house.

“These people had to come in a rally through Sishu Bhavan Square,” said the officer.

However, local organisers said that more than 50 of their volunteers had been taken into preventive detention.

“We will continue our agitation,” said Nishikant Mohapatra, an organiser.