Delhi Police Detains CJP Protesters, Vijayan Briefly Held

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 10th Oct: Delhi Police detained protesters heading towards Jantar Mantar on Saturday and transported several of them to Chhatrasal Stadium as authorities stepped up efforts to prevent a large gathering organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over alleged electoral irregularities.

Visuals showed protesters being escorted into police vans in areas including Connaught Place, close to the planned protest venue. Several Left leaders were also taken into custody as police enforced restrictions across the capital.

The CJP had called for a major demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in voter registration and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Police denied permission for the protest, citing the short notice provided by the organisers.

Pinarayi Vijayan Among Those Briefly Detained
Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan was briefly held at Chhatrasal Stadium, according to reports. A video shared by CPI(M) MP John Brittas showed Vijayan alongside Brittas and former Kerala finance minister K. N. Balagopal.

Brittas alleged that they had been detained and taken to the stadium before being moved around Delhi in a police vehicle.

“We are being taken in a police jeep round and round in the city,” Brittas said in a video, adding that they had not been informed of their destination.

He also accused the authorities of restricting civil liberties, claiming that Delhi had effectively been taken over by the police.

CJP Leaders Detained Before Protest
The police action followed the preventive detention of CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das after their flight landed in the national capital on Saturday morning.

Officials had also detained around 400 people overnight as part of preparations to prevent a large-scale gathering. The CJP, which emerged from a viral public movement and received support from Opposition groups, maintained that its agitation would continue despite the detention of its leaders.

The protest centres on allegations involving electoral rolls and voter registration, with the party seeking Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Metro Closures, Train Cancellations and Internet Curbs
Delhi has witnessed extensive security measures ahead of the demonstration. Entry and exit gates at 45 metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk and Kashmere Gate, have been closed.

More than 250 interstate and local trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations were also cancelled, according to the information provided.

Over 20,000 police personnel have been deployed, while 300 CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor developments. Internet services have been suspended within a four-kilometre radius of Jantar Mantar for 24 hours from 10 pm on Friday.

The restrictions have affected commuters and residents across parts of the capital, adding to concerns over transport disruption and access to public spaces.

Police Seek to Prevent Repeat of Earlier Protest Disruption
The extensive arrangements follow an earlier CJP protest on July 20 over examination paper-leak allegations, during which demonstrators demanded the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Authorities appear determined to prevent a repeat of the disruption associated with that mobilisation. The current operation has involved preventive detentions, transport restrictions and a large security deployment.

The developments have intensified the confrontation between the protest organisers and authorities, with the CJP pressing its electoral demands while Opposition leaders question the scale of the police response.