Delhi Police Detain Cockroach Janta Party Leaders Ahead of Protest Against Election Chief

Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke and several other leaders on October 10 as the group prepared to protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Police boarded Dipke’s flight after it landed from Mumbai and took him into custody along with Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was also detained from his home in Gurugram.

The protest targets the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, under which more than 130 million names have been removed. Opposition parties and the CJP allege the process favors the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party by disenfranchising eligible voters. The Election Commission and the BJP deny the claims. Delhi Police denied permission for the gathering, citing short notice, past non-compliance and public safety concerns under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.

Authorities deployed tens of thousands of police and paramilitary personnel, closed dozens of metro stations, canceled trains and imposed internet restrictions in central Delhi. Reports indicated more than 3,000 people were detained across the capital and elsewhere. The Supreme Court Bar Association condemned the detention of lawyers and sought intervention from Chief Justice Surya Kant. Some detained advocates were later released after the chief justice contacted authorities.

The CJP began as an online satirical movement in May after a remark by the chief justice comparing jobless youth to cockroaches. It gained momentum during a July protest that contributed to the education minister’s resignation over an exam paper leak. Organizers described the October 10 action as Season 2 and called for Kumar’s resignation, a freeze on the revision process and an independent inquiry.

BJP leaders accused the protesters of trying to destabilize the country. AAP called the security measures a black emergency. Congress and Left parties expressed support for the demands while criticizing the detentions. Police said the application for the protest was received only on October 7, short of the ten-day guideline. Spike strips and barricades were installed around Jantar Mantar.

The movement has drawn students, lawyers and civil society groups. Tushar Gandhi was detained in Mumbai ahead of a related gathering. Internet curbs and metro closures disrupted normal movement for residents unrelated to the protest. The Supreme Court had earlier upheld the right to peaceful protest while seeking details on permission rules.

By midday, CJP said some leaders had been taken to undisclosed locations and urged remaining supporters to continue. Whether the crackdown disperses the energy that forced a ministerial resignation in July or simply relocates the pressure remains the open question for both the Election Commission and the government facing repeated street mobilizations over institutional accountability.