New Delhi witnessed heightened security and widespread detentions on Saturday as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) attempted to organise a protest at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration aimed to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. The planned protest became a major confrontation over election transparency, public demonstrations and police restrictions.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and senior leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained shortly after their flight from Mumbai landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Videos shared by the organisation showed police officers entering the aircraft and approaching the leaders. Dipke said he had come prepared to be arrested, while a police officer reportedly told him that the action was not an arrest and asked him to cooperate. The three leaders were then taken away from the airport.
The police action extended beyond the airport. Authorities barricaded Jantar Mantar, established checkpoints and restricted movement in parts of the capital. Reuters reported that more than 2,000 people were detained in Delhi. Other protesters were intercepted while travelling towards the demonstration site, while smaller gatherings took place at different locations. Some opposition figures and student activists were also detained. CJP separately claimed that more than 15,000 people had faced detention or police action; that figure is the organisation’s claim and differs from the number independently reported by Reuters.
Ahead of the protest, Delhi Police denied permission for the gathering, citing the late submission of the application and concerns about public safety, law and order, traffic management and compliance with conditions imposed during an earlier demonstration. Security measures included restrictions around the protest site and the suspension of mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi. The measures disrupted normal movement and raised concerns among protesters and civil society groups about the right to peaceful assembly. <Cite refs={[“turn579824view3″,”turn579824view1”]}/>
At the centre of the protest is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties and demonstrators allege that voter-list changes could exclude eligible voters and affect electoral fairness. The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected allegations of wrongdoing, saying the revision process is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible entries. The commission has also said that eligible voters whose names were incorrectly removed can seek re-enrolment.
The day also brought a personal tragedy for Dipke. His grandmother reportedly passed away at their native village of Santuk Pimpri in Maharashtra after being unwell for several days. Reuters reported that police said Dipke had been informed of her death and was offered assistance to return home for the funeral. The timing of his release and travel arrangements remained unclear in the available reports.
Despite the detentions, CJP announced another protest at Jantar Mantar for Sunday, October 11, at 10 am. Organisation leader Ajinkya Shinde called on supporters to continue the campaign until Gyanesh Kumar resigns. Delhi Police indicated that security deployment would remain in place, with further transport-related measures depending on the situation.
The next day could therefore bring another test for both the protest organisers and the authorities, as the dispute over voter-list revisions continues to fuel demands for accountability and debate over democratic rights.