Delhi Police detained more than 7,000 people and closed 45 Metro stations as authorities mounted a large security operation to prevent the Cockroach Janta Party’s proposed ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’ protest from reaching the designated demonstration site, according to a Times of India report.
The operation followed the police denial of permission for the demonstration, with authorities citing security and law-and-order concerns. More than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the capital, while barricades were placed in central Delhi and checks were intensified at border points, railway stations and bus terminals.
The restrictions affected movement through some of Delhi’s most connected areas. The closure of 45 Metro stations added a major layer of disruption to the security measures, particularly for commuters travelling through central Delhi. The report did not specify the duration of each station closure or provide a station-wise breakdown of the restrictions.
The protest was linked to the party’s demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The allegations have been made by the CJP and were not independently established in the report.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a post on X, alleging that the security measures showed the government’s fear of public dissent. Das also claimed that Kumar was central to the government’s political survival and accused authorities of using force and intimidation against citizens exercising democratic rights. These were political allegations made by Das, not findings independently confirmed in the report.
The reported detentions began after CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, Das and party leader Ashutosh Ranka arrived in Delhi from Mumbai. Delhi Police detained the three ahead of the proposed protest. An executive magistrate ordered their release on Sunday.
The episode illustrates how protest-related security decisions can quickly affect the city beyond the demonstration site itself. Police deployment, barricading and checks at transport hubs extended the restrictions across multiple gateways into the capital, while Metro closures affected the movement of residents who were not participating in the protest.
The CJP said its campaign would continue and that its supporters would return with demands concerning Kumar’s resignation and alleged voter-list irregularities during the revision exercise. The report did not provide further details on any fresh permission application, police response or timetable for a subsequent protest.
