Delhi was brought to a standstill on Saturday, October 10, 2026, as security forces enforced a sweeping lockdown to prevent a planned protest at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and various Left-leaning student groups, demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. By 2 p.m., police reported that approximately 5,000 protesters had been detained across the capital.
Authorities deployed a massive force of 14,000 personnel, including Delhi Police, Central Armed Police Forces, and reinforcements from neighboring states. The crackdown began early, with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka detained by police directly from their aircraft upon landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Despite the leadership being held, the CJP stated that the movement would continue, with organization in-charge Ajinkya Shinde designated to lead the protest. In a video recorded prior to his detention, Mr. Dipke declared, "This is not something even Indira Gandhi did during Emergency; this is a worse situation than that and we are all prepared for arrest."
Prominent political figures were also caught in the dragnet. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal was detained outside his Lodhi Estate residence while attempting to reach the protest site. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other Trinamool Congress leaders were held at a bus stop in South Avenue. Several Left leaders, including former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, Brinda Karat, and Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, were also taken into custody. Additionally, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was detained in Gurugram in a joint operation by Delhi and Gurugram police.
The security measures caused widespread disruption, with metro station closures, internet shutdowns, and the cancellation of numerous trains arriving in Delhi. The New Delhi Traders Association reported that Connaught Place was closed for the day, with trade bodies estimating potential losses in the billions of rupees. Commuters, particularly daily wage laborers, faced significant hardship as police restricted access to central Delhi, often requiring valid identification for passage.
Legal and civil society groups expressed alarm over the police response. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) raised concerns regarding the use of excessive force against advocates and requested the Chief Justice of India to intervene to ensure the safety and release of detained lawyers. Meanwhile, protests occurred in other parts of the country, including Bengaluru and Chennai, where students and activists were also detained while attempting to demonstrate against the CEC.
As the day progressed, AISA president Neha Bora, who was also detained, urged supporters to maintain their position. "I am in detention. The movement is not," she stated in a message to protesters. Amid the ongoing tensions, intelligence sources noted that authorities had ordered the removal of over 50 social media posts deemed to be spreading misinformation regarding the protests. Family sources also confirmed that Mr. Dipke’s grandmother passed away on Saturday morning, leaving the CJP leader to decide whether to remain in detention or attend the funeral.
