CJP Delhi Protest: 600 Detained Amid Security Tightening

Police detained 600 supporters, including YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, as the Cockroach Janta Party called for a Delhi protest demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and a halt to SIR. Security restrictions affected roads, rail services, metro stations, internet access and alcohol sales in several areas.

Editor: AI News 24x7 Published: 10 Oct 2026, 10:42 AM Updated: 10 Oct 2026, 10:42 AM

Police detained 600 supporters, including YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, as Cockroach Janta Party supporters gathered in Delhi over demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and a halt to SIR. Police moved demonstrators away from Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place, where reports described clashes involving pushing and shoving.

Authorities placed spikes on some roads to stop movement, while more than 38,000 security personnel, including BSF personnel, were deployed across affected areas. Police also intensified checks on routes leading to the Election Commission headquarters and Jantar Mantar.

The restrictions have affected transport and public movement. A total of 250 mail and express trains arriving at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations were reported cancelled for the day. Forty-five metro stations were closed, and 10 detention centres were established.

Internet access was scheduled to remain suspended within a 4km area around India Gate from Friday night at 10 PM until Saturday night at 10 PM. Security forces were also deployed near Hotel Le Meridien and surrounding intersections because of the planned demonstration.

Detentions and movement restrictions

Police removed protesters from Indira Chowk in Connaught Place at 6:30 AM AM on Saturday. Around 50 students were taken away after reportedly hiding in a public toilet. More than 100 people had been detained at Indira Chowk, with police taking people into custody when they arrived without identification documents.

Students alleged that a child fainted after experiencing difficulty breathing inside a vehicle. They then began striking the vehicle, according to the report. The material does not provide an independently verified medical update about the child.

Delhi Police conducted intensive checks of vehicles and buses on MG Road. Loudspeaker announcements in the Mehrauli area urged people to maintain peace and public order. Barricades and a bus blocked Ashoka Road, while announcements were also made outside Parliament Street police station.

Security checks were tightened at the Chilla border between Delhi and Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The border lies near Mayur Vihar in east Delhi, and people travelling into and out of Delhi were searched.

Rail, metro and alcohol measures

Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat stations were scheduled to close from 9 PM on October 9 until 10 PM on October 10. Namo Bharat services between Delhi's Anand Vihar and Modinagar in Uttar Pradesh were scheduled to continue according to their timetable.

Delhi's excise department ordered retail liquor shops to remain closed on October 9 and October 10. The order covered Indian, foreign and country liquor shops, including some outlets located in malls. Licensed restaurants, bars and clubs could continue serving alcohol.

The report says Cockroach Janta Party had invited opposition parties to join its demonstration against the functioning of the Election Commission under Gyanesh Kumar. Left parties and AAP announced their participation. The Trinamool Congress extended support, although its participation had not been decided by Friday night.

Congress stayed away from the protest. Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to be in Chennai for the next “Students' Goonj” programme on Saturday.

Party demands and wider dispute

The party has been questioning SIR. A report attributed to The Indian Express said election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected at least 14 times during the previous 10 months to decisions and orders connected with SIR.

The objections reportedly involved adding, removing and restoring names on voter lists, as well as election data and software. The two commissioners were also reported to have objected to adding an SIR-related question to Form 6.

They reportedly wrote to the Cabinet Secretary about access to election data and software. They also described an order concerning the division of work as a violation of rules, according to the cited report.

The article says eight major protests seeking Gyanesh Kumar's resignation took place across the country between October 2 and October 7. Abhijeet Dipke, the party's founder, said the movement would proceed and argued that Article 19 of the Constitution provides a fundamental right to protest.

Dipke also said that preventing people from reaching Jantar Mantar would lead protesters to establish their protest site wherever they were stopped. Before leaving Mumbai for Delhi, he described the restrictions as a sign of fear rather than strength.

Court observations and other participants

The Supreme Court criticised what the report described as excessive restrictions on the CJP protest. Chief Justice of India Suryakant said authorities should use only the action necessary to stop a situation and should not use disproportionate force.

The court also said Delhi Metro and train services could not be completely shut down. Kapil Sibal had filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Friday.

Sonam Wangchuk said he would not join the protest in Delhi because preparations were under way for the coming winter. He said work was continuing on artificial glaciers for water security and on protection from glacial lake outburst floods, or GLOF.

Wangchuk linked that work to reducing the danger from more than 200 potential water-related threats in the high Himalayas. He also appealed to leaders of different groups to remain united and act with understanding.

Conclusion

The reported protest has led to detentions, heavy security and restrictions affecting transport, internet access, roads and retail liquor shops. The demonstration centres on demands for Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and opposition to SIR, while the Supreme Court has urged authorities to keep enforcement proportionate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why were CJP supporters protesting?

The protest was called to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and a halt to SIR.

Q. How many people were detained?

Police reportedly detained 600 supporters, including YouTuber Dhruv Rathee. More than 100 people were also reported detained at Indira Chowk.

Q. How many security personnel were deployed?

More than 38,000 security personnel were reported deployed, including BSF personnel.

Q. Which transport services were affected?

The report cited cancellations involving 250 mail and express trains, the closure of 45 metro stations and temporary closures at two Namo Bharat stations.