Around 1,000 Detained Across Delhi Amid CJP Demonstration

Around 1,000 people were detained across Delhi ahead of a planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the All India Students’ Association on Saturday, October 10. The demonstration was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. According to reports, the detentions began overnight, with a significant number of people picked up from South East Delhi, including areas around Shaheen Bagh. Security arrangements were tightened across the capital before the planned gathering at Jantar Mantar.

Police sources told The Indian Express that around 250 of those detained by 12.30 am were from South East Delhi, while more than 100 were from the Shahdara and East Delhi districts. Authorities deployed police and paramilitary personnel at key locations, established checkpoints and restricted access to the planned protest venue. The measures were intended to prevent unauthorised gatherings and maintain public order after police denied permission for the demonstration.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained after arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport on a flight from Mumbai. The party condemned the detentions, arguing that its leadership was intercepted before reaching the protest site. Other people travelling towards Jantar Mantar were also detained and taken to designated locations, while opposition leaders and activists reported being stopped on their way to the gathering.

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The security measures extended beyond the protest venue, affecting transport and movement across parts of the capital. Entry and exit gates at 45 Delhi Metro stations were scheduled to remain closed, while more than 250 trains due to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations during the morning and early afternoon were cancelled. Mobile internet services were also suspended within a specified area around the Janpath–Kartavya Path crossing for 24 hours. The restrictions prompted concerns about disruptions to daily travel and access to central Delhi.

The CJP’s protest centres on allegations that the electoral-roll revision process could unfairly remove eligible voters. The party has demanded accountability from the Election Commission and called for Kumar’s resignation. Opposition parties have also raised concerns about the exercise, while the Election Commission maintains that the revision is intended to identify duplicate, ineligible or otherwise incorrect entries. The allegations of political bias remain disputed.

Despite the restrictions and detentions, small demonstrations were reported at locations away from Jantar Mantar, with participants raising slogans against the Chief Election Commissioner. The CJP maintained that its campaign would continue even without its detained leaders. The developments have intensified debate over electoral transparency, public order and the right to peaceful assembly, as authorities sought to prevent the planned demonstration from gathering momentum across the national capital.

Also Read: CJP Sets October 10 Delhi Protest Over Demand For Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation