Delhi Protest: Over 3,000 reportedly detained as CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and party members are held aboard a flight ahead of a Jantar Mantar demonstration.
Qalam Times News Network
New Delhi | October 10, 2026
NEW DELHI: The Delhi protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar witnessed a major police crackdown on Saturday, with reports stating that more than 3,000 people had been detained across the national capital. In a dramatic development, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and party members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained aboard an Air India flight shortly after it landed in Delhi, ahead of their planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
The Delhi protest took a significant turn when Delhi Police personnel entered the aircraft to take the three CJP members into custody. Dipke broadcast the incident live on Instagram, capturing tense exchanges between the protesters and the police officers. The development came amid extensive security arrangements and restrictions intended to prevent demonstrators from assembling for the planned protest.
CJP Founder Detained on Flight Before Jantar Mantar Demonstration
According to the video shared by Dipke, a team of Delhi Police officers, including women personnel, boarded the aircraft after it arrived in Delhi on Saturday morning. The footage showed the CJP members questioning the officers over their decision to detain them before they could leave the plane.
During the exchange, Dipke challenged the police action, saying that the officers could have waited until the passengers had disembarked. He was also heard declaring, “Come arrest us, we are not afraid.”
The confrontation created a tense atmosphere inside the aircraft as the CJP members questioned the timing and manner of their detention. Police personnel subsequently escorted Dipke, Das and Ranka away from the airport premises to an undisclosed location, according to the account provided in the reports.
Dipke had travelled from Mumbai to Delhi on Saturday morning with the stated intention of leading the party’s demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar.
CJP Condemns Detention of Its Members
The Cockroach Janta Party strongly criticised the police action, describing the detention of its founder and two other members immediately after their flight landed as “authoritarian detention”.
The party maintained that the action had prevented its representatives from participating in the proposed demonstration. The detentions also raised questions about the handling of political protests and the extent to which authorities can restrict the movement of individuals intending to participate in a public gathering.
In a post on X, CJP announced that its organisation in-charge, Ajinkya Shinde, would lead the protest at Jantar Mantar while the three detained members remained in custody.
The party stated: “Until Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are in detention, CJP’s Organization In-Charge Ajinkya Shinde will lead this protest at Jantar Mantar.”
The announcement indicated that the party intended to continue with its protest plans despite the detention of several of its prominent members.
Dhruv Rathee and Ratna Singh Also Detained
The police action reportedly extended beyond the airport. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and Ratna Singh, who heads the CJP’s legal cell, were also detained at their respective residences earlier on Saturday, according to the reports.
Their detention came as authorities moved to prevent individuals associated with the proposed demonstration from reaching the protest venue.
The developments formed part of a wider security operation in the capital. Reports also indicated that more than 400 suspected protesters had been detained from different parts of Delhi overnight, before the aircraft incident involving Dipke and his associates.
The circumstances surrounding the individual detentions, including the legal grounds cited by the police, were not fully detailed in the information available at the time of writing.
Delhi Police Had Denied Permission for Protest
The proposed demonstration had already faced an administrative hurdle. Delhi Police had reportedly denied permission for the CJP’s planned protest on Friday, stating that the application had not been submitted sufficiently in advance.
The refusal set the stage for the confrontation between the party and the authorities, with CJP seeking to proceed with its campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner despite the restrictions.
The party’s position and the police’s stated reason for denying permission reflect the dispute over whether and under what conditions the demonstration could take place. Further clarification from the authorities would be necessary to establish the precise legal basis for the subsequent detentions.
Heavy Security and Restrictions Across the Capital
Delhi witnessed extensive security measures ahead of the proposed gathering. According to the reports, 45 metro stations were shut and dozens of train services were cancelled amid efforts to restrict the movement of demonstrators.
The Centre was also reported to have deployed more than 20,000 personnel from the police and Central Armed Police Forces to maintain law and order.
The scale of the deployment and the reported transport restrictions underscored the authorities’ preparations for a potentially large mobilisation in the capital. However, the reasons and operational details behind individual transport restrictions would need to be confirmed through official statements from the relevant agencies.
Questions Over Protest Rights and Police Action
The detention of CJP leaders, including their removal from an aircraft immediately after landing, has brought the handling of the proposed demonstration into focus.
While police authorities can impose lawful restrictions to maintain public order, the legal justification for detentions and the proportionality of measures taken to prevent a gathering remain important considerations. Establishing whether the individuals were formally arrested or preventively detained, the provisions invoked by the police, and whether they were subsequently released or produced before a competent authority would be essential to understanding the full legal position.
As the situation develops, further information from Delhi Police, the CJP leadership and other relevant authorities will be necessary to establish the complete sequence of events.
