Delhi Police detained more than 1,000 people overnight and over 100 others near Connaught Place on Saturday as authorities tightened security across the capital ahead of a proposed Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar. The measures have affected metro access, traffic movement, inter-state bus travel and entry into central Delhi.
The protest, called by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, was denied permission by Delhi Police. The police said the request was submitted on October 7, only three days before the planned demonstration, and cited inadequate notice and alleged violations during an earlier protest.
At Parliament Street, no protesters had reached the Jantar Mantar site as of 8.30 am, according to The Indian Express. Roads leading to the protest venue were barricaded, around 3,000 security personnel were deployed near the Parliament Street police station and approximately a dozen buses were stationed to detain people who reached the area.
Police also maintained heightened checks at Delhi’s borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. At the Chilla border connecting Delhi and Noida, personnel from the Noida Police, traffic police and the Border Security Force were allowing one vehicle to pass at a time. Commercial buses entering Delhi were being checked to identify possible groups travelling to the capital, while nearby parks were being searched for people who may have stayed overnight before attempting to join the protest.
Joint Police Commissioner of the Eastern Range Milind Kumbhare said full deployment had been completed across three districts. “They are being informed that permission has not been granted, so do not participate and maintain peace,” he said, adding that Delhi Police was coordinating with the Uttar Pradesh Police and would stop people travelling from Ghaziabad or Noida if necessary.
The authorities have also imposed restrictions at 45 Delhi Metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Central Secretariat and Kashmere Gate. Entry and exit gates were shut from Friday evening through Saturday for security reasons. The report also said metro services and most trains to Delhi had been cancelled in connection with the protest-related security arrangements.
Delhi Traffic Police warned of disruption around Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar, Mandi House, Patel Chowk and several central Delhi intersections. The affected stretches include Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road, Tolstoy Marg-Janpath, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg, Rail Bhawan, Patel Chowk, Gol Dak Khana and Windsor Place. Traffic could also be affected around Barakhamba Road, Minto Road, Chelmsford Road, Lodhi Road and other major junctions.
Delhi Police expects around 7,000 protesters to arrive for the demonstration. Senior officers have instructed personnel to exercise maximum restraint and avoid reacting to provocative acts, while police officials said unauthorised gatherings would not be allowed and participants could be shifted to designated detention centres. Dipke, who left Mumbai for Delhi on Saturday morning, was expected to reach the capital later in the day.
