Updated October 12, 2026. The Delhi Police crackdown, the detentions, the court dramas and what the Cockroach Janta Party says comes next.
The Short Version
On Saturday, October 10, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) tried to hold "Jantar Mantar 2.0" in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and a rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Delhi Police had refused permission, and the protest turned into one of the biggest security operations the capital has seen for a demonstration. According to ThePrint, police detained thousands of people, including opposition leaders, lawyers, students and the CJP's own founder.
Delhi Before the Protest: A City Locked Down
The build-up itself made headlines. Delhi Police said permission was denied because the intimation came at very short notice. The Home Secretary asked police chiefs of all states and UTs to prevent "unauthorised entry" into Delhi, and Section 163 of the BNSS was imposed in the capital. Noida's police commissionerate also enforced the order from October 10 to October 20.
- About 23,000 CAPF personnel were made available for the capital, one of the largest central-force deployments for a protest in Delhi.
- At least 45 Metro stations were closed until the night of October 10, and train arrivals at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations were curtailed.
- Internet was shut within a 4 km radius of Jantar Mantar.
- The Supreme Court had cautioned the government a day earlier against blanket Metro and train curbs in anticipation of trouble.
How October 10 Unfolded
Morning: Detentions Begin Before the Crowds Arrive
Police began detaining people gathering near Jantar Mantar from around 8:30 am. In a statement, Delhi Police said about 150 people had been detained by mid-morning, with stadiums across the city converted into detention centres. CJP said YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was detained from his home in Gurugram, and legal cell chief Ratna Singh was also detained.
10:30 am: CJP's Leaders Detained at the Airport
Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were detained by Delhi Police personnel who boarded their flight shortly after it landed at IGI airport. Before leaving Mumbai, Dipke had told reporters he was ready to be detained or arrested and would keep fighting for free and fair elections. He had also pre-recorded a video naming CJP's organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde to lead the protest in his absence.
Midday: Lawyers, Students and Politicians Swept Up
A group of lawyers marching from the Supreme Court to Jantar Mantar was detained. The Supreme Court Bar Association sought the intervention of the Chief Justice of India, and CJI Surya Kant and the Solicitor General reportedly spoke to authorities to facilitate their release. CPI(M) said more than 500 of its cadres were detained at its Delhi office. Later in the day, Neha Bora and Yogendra Yadav were detained while marching to Dilli Haat, and ThePrint reported that Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee were also taken into custody.
Afternoon and Evening: Protests Pop Up Everywhere
With Jantar Mantar sealed, protesters improvised. Hundreds who had sheltered at Bangla Sahib Gurdwara were detained outside it, and ThePrint reported small "own Jantar Mantar" protests at detention centres and on Delhi's roads. In Mumbai, more than 400 people, including actor Imran Khan, were detained at August Kranti Maidan during solidarity protests. By evening, Delhi Police had begun releasing detainees, and ThePrint's headline put the total at around 3,500 in Delhi, with police saying detentions could last up to 24 hours.
What the Police and the Protesters Are Saying
Delhi Police said it had apprehended around 50 people with criminal backgrounds to prevent disruption, and PTI reported that two police personnel were injured in stone pelting near Akashwani Bhawan. Police also said they had informed Dipke of his grandmother's death and offered to facilitate his travel home on humanitarian grounds.
CJP and its allies say the protest was peaceful and that the crackdown was disproportionate. CJP said Dipke, Das and Ranka were initially denied access to lawyers. Newslaundry said three of its journalists were detained and their phones seized, and Scroll said one of its reporters was detained. Sonam Wangchuk called the situation an "undeclared Emergency" and said he might consider a fast or a padyatra if those detained were not released soon.
On the political side, Rahul Gandhi told supporters to keep protesting, daring the government to "arrest us all", while the INDIA bloc called a protest march in Delhi for Monday.
What Happens Next?
- Dipke and the co-conveners were due before a magistrate on October 11, and ThePrint's headline reports they received a conditional release. We will update this post as details are confirmed.
- CJP says the stir will not stop until Gyanesh Kumar resigns, and its leaders said supporters would try to reach Jantar Mantar again on Sunday.
- The INDIA bloc has called its own march in Delhi for Monday, October 12.
- The legal fight continues: Ratna Singh's petition seeking an FIR over her detention was dismissed by the Saket Court, and CJP has opened a form for detainees seeking legal support.
The movement's earlier pressure helped end the July NEET-UG agitation with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, which is why both its supporters and the government are watching this round so closely.
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The Last Word 🪳
Whatever you think of the protest, the images from October 10 raise a question that goes well beyond one party: who gets to gather, where, and under what conditions, when the issue is the voters' list itself? The story is still unfolding, and we will keep updating the CJP Journal as it does.
Cockroaches survive. They adapt. They keep showing up.
Were you in Delhi on October 10, or protesting in your own city? Share your story in the comments, and send this post to someone who needs to catch up.
Sources: ThePrint (live blog and related reports), Outlook India, PTI as cited by ThePrint, Newslaundry and Scroll as cited by ThePrint. Details are accurate as of October 12, 2026 and may change. Allegations are attributed to the people who made them and have not been independently verified by us.
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