Security personnel run towards demonstrators to disperse them during a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities, at Connaught Place, in New Delhi, Saturday, October 10. PTI
Delhi protests LIVE | Over 7,000 detained; CJP: Will march to Jantar Mantar again on Sunday
SC to hear special petition tomorrow on Delhi curbs; police go on detention spree to stop anti-CEC protests
Delhi turned into a veritable battle zone—as well as a prison zone for the Opposition—on Saturday (October 10), when several INDIA bloc leaders, including four former chief ministers—TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, CPM veteran Pinarayi Vijayan, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, and Manik Sarkar, were detained for trying to join the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) anti-CEC protest call at Jantar Mantar.
Apart from Mamata and Pinarayi, Delhi Police have detained over 7,000 people including CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, CJP's Ratna Singh, Sourav Das and many journalists and content creators.
Senior Left leaders like MP John Brittas and MA Baby, along with Pinarayi, were taken to Chhatrasal Stadium briefly before reportedly being driven around in a police jeep, Brittas alleged. They were later taken to Mandir Marg Police Station. Veteran Left leader Brinda Karat, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, activist Yogendra Yadav and lawyer Prashant Bhushan were also among those detained.
Also read: Meet the faces of India’s Gen Z protest movement
Kejriwal was detained outside his Lodhi Estate residence while marching towards Jantar Mantar with AAP leaders and workers. The party leaders detained with him included Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, MLA Kuldeep Kumar and national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai was also detained while protesting at the party office.
Dipke detained from aircraft
Mamata and other TMC MPs were detained from South Avenue, while many journalists trying to cover the protests were allegedly detained along with the Opposition leaders. Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, was reportedly detained in Mumbai.
Also read: ‘Undeclared Emergency’: Opposition leaders slam Modi govt over detentions in Delhi
Dipke's detention was dramatic. A Delhi Police team boarded the aircraft carrying him after it landed in Delhi and detained him. Dipke went live on Instagram as the officers entered the plane. The video shows the police team boarding the flight, and Dipke, along with fellow CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, being detained on board.
A defiant Dipke said CJP's Ajinkya Shinde would lead the Jantar Mantar protest, while AISA chief Neha Bora launched a protest in Dilli Haat along with other activists. Neha was alsod detained soon afterwards. After days of intense protests, Congress was missing in action as Rahul Gandhi left for Chennai for his prescheduled Chhatron ki Goonj event.
Jantar Mantar wears a deserted look
Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, wore a deserted look throughout the day, with the deployment of over 30,000 security personnel and waves of barricades in Lutyens' Delhi to keep the protesters away from the area.
Opposition parties likened the situation to one worse than the Emergency, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urging the youth to "keep protesting" and asserting that "we are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked the Constitution are defeated".
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at the Modi government over the detentions by Delhi police, saying it has turned the "mother of democracy" into a "muzzled democracy". The Congress chief alleged that the cowardice of the BJP-RSS is on full display today.
The Congress, which has been holding protests demanding the resignation of the CEC over alleged vote theft, however, maintained its distance from the CJP protest.
CJP to march to Jantar Mantar again tomorrow
On Saturday evening, CJP said it was not "backing down" and announced that it will march to Jantar Mantar again tomorrow (October 11).
"The Modi government fears that if we unite again, their throne will be at stake. But we’re not backing down. We will march to Jantar Mantar again tomorrow and stay there until all our demands are met," CJP said.
Read live updates here.
Live Updates
- 10 Oct 2026 9:46 AM IST
Heavy security near Le Méridien ahead of CJP protest in Delhi
Heavy security deployment near Hotel Le Méridien in Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest today.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:43 AM IST
Jantar Mantar fortified ahead of CJP protest, heavy police deployment
Loudspeaker warnings, layers of barricades and a heavy security presence marked Jantar Mantar on Saturday as Delhi prepared for the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) planned protest.
Patel Chowk roundabout saw a large police deployment. Paramilitary personnel, including the BSF and Rapid Action Force (RAF), marched alongside Delhi Police near Parliament Street Police Station, carrying rifles, tactical gear and heavy rucksacks.
Parliament Street and Ashoka Road were crowded with security personnel and media vans. Several Delhi Police officers wore body cameras, while the force’s Pink Force was stationed at multiple locations. Buses carrying security personnel were parked near the police station.
Loudspeakers repeatedly announced the imposition of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
The deployment was particularly heavy near NDMC Palika Kendra. Sansad Marg towards Connaught Place and Tolstoy Road were blocked by multiple barricades. Passersby were asked to show identity cards, while people identified as protesters were told to return.
The restrictions were imposed ahead of the CJP protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who faces allegations of voter-list tampering during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and bypassing fellow commissioners over changes to Form 6, used for voter registration.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:37 AM IST
Security checks intensified at Singhu border ahead of CJP protest
Security checks intensified at Singhu Border on the Delhi-Haryana border ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar today.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:29 AM IST
‘Modi has accepted defeat before protest’: Dipke
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the restrictions imposed in Delhi ahead of the party's planned protest at Jantar Mantar, saying the government was acting out of fear.
In a post on X, Dipke said, “Modi has accepted defeat even before our protest has begun.”
He also questioned the crackdown on protesters and the restrictions across the national capital.
“The mass crackdown on protesters and the shutdown of Delhi are not signs of strength, but of a leader terrified of his own people,” he added.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:19 AM IST
Delhi Police detain 150 ahead of CJP protest at Jantar Mantar
Delhi Police has detained 150 protesters so far ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar, officials said, reported ANI.
The party has called the protest over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:16 AM IST
Akhilesh Yadav warns BJP over CJP protest restrictions
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday criticised the Centre's restrictions ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) planned protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, warning that attempts to curb dissent could backfire on the BJP.
In a post on X, Yadav said young people would gather in the national capital despite the hurdles imposed by the government.
"It won't stop for anyone's obstruction. Now, the nation will unite in Delhi!" he wrote.
Yadav said his party stood with the young people planning to join the protest.
"We stand with the youthful energy of the nation," he said.
He also warned the BJP against using its power to prevent people from gathering.
"If the BJP government thinks it can halt the people through the might of power, this will prove to be an even greater mistake on its part," Yadav said.
Calling Jantar Mantar a symbol of political awakening, he added, “‘Jantar-Mantar’ is no longer just a place's name; it has become a symbol of a new consciousness and awakening.”
Yadav warned that stopping the protest in Delhi would not end the movement.
"If the government stops the protesters, then Jantar-Mantar will spring up everywhere in the country," he said.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:13 AM IST
Delhi steps up security near Mohan Estate ahead of CJP protest
Security tightened near Mohan Estate in Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest today. Police personnel have been deployed and spike strips installed in the area, visuals shared by ANI showed.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:10 AM IST
Video: Protestors detained in Delhi
#WATCH | Delhi Police detain a few protesters from Sansad Marg area, ahead of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest today. https://t.co/0QRiO2Ho0V
— ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2026 - 10 Oct 2026 9:10 AM IST
Delhi CJP protest: What’s open, what’s closed today
Movement across Delhi has been disrupted by train cancellations, Metro station restrictions, liquor shop closures and tighter security ahead of the planned CJP protest. Here is a breakdown of the services affected.
What’s Closed
1. Mail and express trains at two Delhi stations
The Railways cancelled mail and express trains at their originating stations if they were scheduled to arrive at New Delhi or Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations between 4 am and 2 pm on Saturday(October 10). The move followed concerns about heavy road traffic around the stations due to the planned protest in central Delhi.
2. Entry and exit at 45 Metro stations
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) closed entry and exit gates at 45 Metro stations from 9 pm on Friday. The restrictions will continue through Saturday until the situation returns to normal.
3. Retail liquor shops
Retail liquor outlets across Delhi will remain closed on October 9 and 10 under an order issued by the excise department. The closure applies to specified shops selling Indian, foreign and country liquor, including some outlets inside malls.
4. Access to Jantar Mantar
Delhi Police has restricted access to Jantar Mantar ahead of the protest. Media personnel have also been denied entry to the site.
5. Namo Bharat stations in Delhi
The Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat stations will remain closed from 9 pm on October 9 until 10 pm on October 10.
What’s Open
Restaurants, bars and clubs
Licensed restaurants, bars and clubs across Delhi can continue serving liquor as usual, an excise department official said, despite the closure of retail liquor shops.
- 10 Oct 2026 9:03 AM IST
Connaught Place to shut ahead of CJP protest: Traders
Connaught Place will remain closed on Saturday ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) planned protest at Jantar Mantar, the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) said, citing fears over public safety and possible property damage.
NDTA Joint Secretary Amit Gupta said the move was intended to protect people and businesses, noting that the market draws thousands of visitors over the weekend. He added that the shutdown would cause losses worth crores of rupees for traders.
Brijesh Goyal, chairperson of the Chamber of Trade and Industry, estimated that businesses could lose around Rs 2,000 crore due to the protest and market closures.
Gupta said democratic protests were a citizen’s right, but warned against demonstrations that put people at risk, disrupt essential services or leave residents stranded.
The CJP has called for a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter-list manipulation linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Form 6 voter registration process. Delhi Police has denied permission for the gathering.
The NDTA urged authorities to move protests to larger, open spaces away from busy commercial areas.
