A protest in Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Jnanesh Kumar has triggered extensive security restrictions, including a reported internet shutdown around the Janpath–Kartavya Path crossing and the deployment of at least 26,000 police and paramilitary personnel across the city.
The demonstration was called at Jantar Mantar by a group identified in the source report as the Cockroach Janata Party. Permission for the protest was reportedly denied, but the group proceeded with its programme on Saturday. Police issued warnings that violating restrictions in central Delhi could lead to legal action.
The report said Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita was in force in several areas of central Delhi. The restrictions were described as a preventive measure intended to avoid violence during the demonstration. Drone surveillance was also being used to monitor the city, according to the report.
Internet services were reported to have been suspended within a four-kilometre radius of the Janpath–Kartavya Path crossing. The shutdown was scheduled to continue until 10 pm on October 10, according to the report. Such a measure affects not only protesters but also commuters, businesses, residents and public-facing services operating in one of the capital’s most important administrative and ceremonial districts.
The report also said that three protest leaders—Abhijit Deep, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka—were detained on an aircraft before reaching Jantar Mantar. Their detention was described as a preventive step intended to stop them from joining the planned demonstration.
Speaking in Kolkata, West Bengal BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya described the protest as an attempt by forces opposed to the country to operate while wearing masks. He said democratic countries gave people the right to protest, but alleged that forces without current relevance were trying to become relevant. Bhattacharya also said the movement reflected frustration and that the Union government was monitoring the situation.
The comments were made after Bhattacharya attended a ritual at Kolkata’s Bagbazar ghat on the morning of Mahalaya, according to the source report. He also criticised the opposition INDIA bloc and commented on the absence of former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee from Kolkata during the opening of the festive period.
The Delhi administration’s reported response illustrates how a political gathering in a high-security central zone can quickly become an urban operations issue. Restrictions on movement, communications, surveillance and access to public space are being used simultaneously to manage the risk of confrontation. The available report does not provide details on the number of arrests beyond the three leaders named, nor does it establish whether violence occurred during the protest.
The immediate operational measures remain focused on preventing clashes and enforcing the restrictions around Jantar Mantar and the Janpath–Kartavya Path area. Police and security agencies are expected to continue monitoring the situation until the announced restrictions expire.
