CJP Protest in Delhi: Abhijeet Deepke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das Detained Aboard Aircraft at Airport; Dhruv Rathee Also Held
New Delhi, 10th October 2026: Founders of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), Abhijeet Deepke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, were detained at Delhi airport on Saturday as they arrived to participate in a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was also detained from his residence in Gurugram, according to the updates provided. Around 600 other CJP supporters were reportedly detained from different locations across the national capital as police stepped up security ahead of the planned demonstration.
The detentions came as CJP supporters attempted to reach Jantar Mantar from various parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). Police personnel were deployed at several locations, and security checks were intensified on roads leading into the capital. Metal spikes were reportedly placed on roads to prevent vehicles from moving through restricted areas.
Heavy Security Around Jantar Mantar
Security was tightened around Jantar Mantar, the Election Commission headquarters and other key locations in New Delhi. Police personnel were deployed near India Gate, Connaught Place, Ashoka Road and other areas, while vehicles and buses were subjected to checks.
At Indira Chowk near Connaught Place, police reportedly removed protesters early on Saturday morning. Some students alleged that a protester fainted inside a police vehicle due to suffocation, following which other protesters began hitting the vehicle. These allegations could not be independently verified from the information available.
CJP’s head of legal affairs, Ratna Singh, also reported police action outside her residence. In a video shared by the party, she alleged that police personnel had surrounded her car and asked her to remain at home, citing orders from senior authorities.
The security arrangements also included deployment of personnel at the Chilla border between Delhi and Noida, as well as at Mandi House and Feroz Shah Road.
Why Is CJP Protesting?
The party has called for a demonstration against the functioning of the Election Commission under CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Its demands include his resignation and a halt to the SIR process.
CJP has raised concerns over the revision of electoral rolls and the procedures for adding, deleting and restoring voters’ names. The party has also called for scrutiny of the SIR process.
Abhijeet Deepke had earlier said the demonstration would proceed at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site in Delhi. He cited Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees certain freedoms, including the right to assemble peacefully, subject to reasonable restrictions.
The party had invited opposition parties to join the protest. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Left parties announced their participation, while the Trinamool Congress expressed support. The Congress decided to stay away from the demonstration.
Rahul Gandhi Backs Call for Change
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X on Saturday, said that CEC Gyanesh Kumar would go and the Narendra Modi government would also go, after which work to improve democracy would begin.
Gandhi shared a video of his address to INDIA bloc MPs in Parliament’s Central Hall. However, the Congress was not participating in the CJP protest.
Restrictions and Transport Disruptions
Authorities announced additional security measures in the capital amid the planned demonstration. According to the updates provided, internet services within a four-kilometre radius of India Gate were scheduled to remain suspended from 10 pm on Friday until 10 pm on Saturday.
Reports also indicated that 250 mail and express trains arriving at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations had been cancelled on Saturday. The reasons for the reported cancellations and the extent of the disruption were not independently verified.
The Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar stations on the Namo Bharat corridor were also scheduled to remain closed until 10 pm on Saturday, while services between Anand Vihar in Delhi and Modinagar in Uttar Pradesh were to continue according to schedule.
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The developments follow a series of protests by CJP supporters seeking Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Security arrangements and police action continued across Delhi as supporters attempted to reach Jantar Mantar.
