Delhi Police detained hundreds of people and imposed extensive security restrictions across the capital on October 10 ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar, disrupting traffic and access to central Delhi while entry and exit gates at dozens of metro stations remained closed.
The Indian Express reported that CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained after their flight landed in Delhi. The party said the leaders were taken to an undisclosed location and alleged that the detentions were intended to prevent them from reaching the protest site. Police had denied permission for the demonstration, citing security considerations and procedural requirements.
Delhi Police officials told ANI that around 500 people arriving in different groups had been detained, while nearly 50 people with criminal antecedents had also been apprehended as a preventive measure. Earlier reports from the capital had put the number of detentions at around 100 to 200 in areas including Connaught Place, Janpath, Dhaula Kuan and near hotels along the routes leading to Jantar Mantar.
The restrictions had a direct effect on public transport. Authorities announced the closure of entry and exit gates at 45 Delhi Metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Central Secretariat and Kashmere Gate. The report also said that 57 metro station gates were closed at one stage. A plea filed in the Supreme Court sought contempt proceedings against authorities, alleging that the closures continued despite an October 9 direction concerning movement on metro and Indian Railways services.
The closures forced commuters to use stations farther from the central protest zone. The Indian Express reported that Patel Nagar was among the closest operational stations, requiring an approximately 1.5-hour walk to Jantar Mantar. Security personnel were deployed inside and outside stations, while police checks were intensified at borders, bus routes and other transport nodes.
Central Delhi also saw congestion as barricades, vehicle checks and diversions slowed movement around Connaught Place, Mandi House, Jantar Mantar, Patel Chowk, Parliament Street and adjoining roads. Delhi Traffic Police had warned of disruption at several junctions, including the Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road roundabout, Tolstoy Marg-Janpath crossing, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Rail Bhawan, Gol Dak Khana and Windsor Place.
Police and paramilitary forces were deployed across the city, with reports citing between 25,000 and 35,000 personnel under the wider security operation. Rapid Action Force teams, the Border Security Force, the Central Armed Police Forces, body-camera-equipped personnel and the all-women Pink Force were reported to be part of the deployment. Chhatrasal Stadium was identified as one of the major detention centres prepared for the operation.
Joint Police Commissioner Milind Kumbhare said authorities had informed people that permission had not been granted and asked them not to participate. He said checking campaigns were being conducted at Delhi’s borders and that the police were coordinating with Uttar Pradesh authorities to stop groups travelling from Ghaziabad and Noida.
Checks were also conducted at the Chilla border and on commercial buses entering Delhi. A police official told The Indian Express that officers were checking passenger lists and questioning travellers to identify large groups attempting to reach the protest site. Barricades and additional forces were deployed at the Delhi-Noida border, while Gautam Buddha Nagar authorities separately imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita from October 10 to October 20.
The operation also extended beyond Delhi. Mumbai Police detained Tushar Gandhi and associates who were travelling to August Kranti Maidan for a proposed solidarity protest. Police said the individuals had been detained rather than arrested and noted that no permission application had been received for the gathering.
The CJP had called the protest to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Delhi Police said the request had been submitted on October 7, three days before the planned demonstration, and warned that the proposed gathering could create serious law-and-order concerns. The police said protesters arriving for an unauthorised gathering would be detained and shifted to designated centres.
