Protests LIVE | CJP says ‘State at war with citizens’; Rahul invites all to SC march tomorrow

Over 200 protesters were detained as they raised slogans and marched towards the Jantar Mantar on Sunday (October 11), with several seen being dragged into police buses, as the protest called by the CJP entered its second day amid heavy security deployment across the capital.

Several journalists, who were covering the protests were also detained by police despite displaying press identification cards, according to visuals emerging on social media. They were seen showing press cards to officials as they were taken away.

Members of several student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Association (AISA) and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), along with CJP supporters, were detained while trying to march towards Jantar Mantar from different parts of the capital, mainly Connaught Place.

Detentions continued into the evening, with protesters being picked up from various locations even after 6.30 pm.

Security personnel were seen moving towards protesters and attempting to disperse them. Several demonstrators resisted as police personnel held them by their arms and pulled them towards waiting buses. Some protesters were seen being dragged along the road, while others continued raising slogans as they were taken into custody.

The day witnessed a series of flash protests, with different groups assembling at various locations at different times to try to reach Jantar Mantar. Connaught Place and RK Ashram Marg were among the main points where demonstrations and detentions took place.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the Election Commission of working in favour of the BJP and alleged that voters were being prevented from exercising their franchise.

“Who doesn’t know that the Election Commission is dishonest? Who doesn’t know that the Election Commission lies? Who doesn’t know that the Election Commission is working for the BJP?,” Yadav said.

“The Election Commission’s job is to ensure people come to vote and that maximum voter registrations take place. For the first time, we are seeing a situation where ordinary people are unable to get registered as voters and are unable to cast their votes,” he said.

Equating the BJP with Adolf Hitler, Yadav alleged that the party had adopted tactics used by the Nazi leader to target political opponents.

“Hitler used to dress up his own political workers to take revenge on workers from other political parties. They (the BJP) have learned this from Hitler. The workers of other political parties were humiliated,” he said.

The Supreme Court said contempt petitioners, who have alleged violations of the court's direction to ensure no complete prohibition on metro and trains services in Delhi due to a CJP protest, have made out a "prima-facie" case.

During a special hearing, a bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notices to Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairperson D Thara.

"Having considered the submissions of the counsel for the parties and perused the averments in the contempt petition, we are of the opinion that the petitioners have made out a prima-facie case.

"Accordingly, we issue notice upon the alleged contemnors. They are directed to file counter-affidavit to the said petition, including a compliance report, in terms of our order as aforesaid by October 13, 2026. Their personal presence is dispensed with in the meanwhile," the bench said.

The petition has referred to the court's October 9 order that was passed while hearing a separate plea against the closure of 57 metro stations and cancellation of trains to Delhi in view of the protest.

Twenty-two women activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) were detained by the Delhi Police after sunset during a Tiranga rally at Connaught Place, with the student organisation alleging that the detentions were illegal and involved physical assault by male police officers.

The rally was organised to protest against the police crackdown on peaceful protesters and alleged attacks by right-wing activists on women protesters and journalists on Saturday (October 10).

According to SFI, the women activists were forcibly detained despite provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) governing the arrest of women after sunset. The organisation alleged that the activists were manhandled and slapped by male police officers during the operation.

SFI said the action violated Section 43(5) of the BNSS, which places restrictions on the arrest of women after sunset, subject to specified exceptions and procedural safeguards. It also alleged a violation of Section 46(1), which prohibits the use of more restraint than is necessary to prevent escape during an arrest.

The organisation further claimed that the detention bus had no lights and no women police personnel on board, raising concerns over the safety of those detained.

A day after saffron-clad groups assaulted protesters demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, men carrying sticks were seen moving around central Delhi and threatening demonstrators again on Sunday, even as four alleged attackers were arrested in connection with Saturday’s violence.

On Sunday, several men carrying sticks were seen moving around Connaught Place where demonstrations were taking place, confronting protesters and issuing threats.

Videos from Saturday showed larger groups moving around the protest areas in full view of police personnel, openly expressing support for them and the administration and threatening the demonstrators.

The men could be heard claiming that they had come out in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and did not care if police picked them up.

Groups of men sporting saffron scarves were also seen raising slogans of “Delhi Police tum lath bajao, hum tumhare saath hain (Delhi Police, you wield the baton, we are with you)”. The groups moved around despite prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS being in force.

The Congress on Sunday said it will launch a public awareness campaign in Delhi to help eligible voters verify their details and raise complaints.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devendra Yadav said party workers would reach out to people to explain the SIR process, encourage eligible voters to check their documents and electoral-roll status, and help them take up grievances with the authorities concerned.

The party, Yadav said, will also continue its agitation over alleged irregularities in the SIR process and questions surrounding the Election Commission’s impartiality. “The entire process must be transparent, fair and accountable,” he said, demanding that complaints related to the SIR exercise be addressed.

Several Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists were detained during a protest at Goodluck Chowk in Pune seeking the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday.

Several people were taken away in police vehicles. Women reportedly constituted a majority of those detained. The exact number of people detained was not known immediately.

CPI(M) leader John Brittas was taken to the RML Hospital for an X-ray and a medical examination after Delhi Police personnel allegedly manhandled him during Sunday’s protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

The Rajya Sabha MP was physically lifted by police personnel during his detention. A video shared by his party showed him collapsing on the steps of a bus, following which he was taken to the hospital for an examination to check for possible chest injuries.

CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha visited Brittas at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. Baby, after visiting Brittas, accused the Delhi Police of assaulting student and youth activists detained during the protest, alleging that police vehicles were turned into “torture camps”.