Security personnel keep vigil as heavy police deployment and entry restrictions are enforced ahead of a planned protest by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members, in New Delhi, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (PTI Photo)CJP Protest Delhi: Hundreds of protesters, Opposition leaders, and even star YouTubers stood little chance as Delhi Police, which reports to the Central government, pulled out all stops to clamp down on a rally in central Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Most people were picked up even before they made it anywhere near the planned protest site, Jantar Mantar, and whisked off in buses and vans to stadiums and other makeshift detention centres.Authorities seemed determined to prevent a repeat of July’s chaos in the heart of the capital when nearly one lakh protesters threatened to converge on the country’s Parliament, resulting in war-like scenes that took over Instagram feeds and television screens for days, putting the government in an unprecedented bind. Saturday’s massive security blanket came as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called a protest at Jantar Mantar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in a stir that took off after an investigation by The Indian Express that exposed a rupture within the Election Commission over changes fronted by Gyanesh Kumar.Here is how the day unfolded (all times IST):Timeline (all times IST)OvernightAt least 1,000 people were detained in Delhi. Police also picked up people with criminal records in all 15 districts as a preventive measure.Around 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed.Entry and exit were restricted at about 45 Metro stations from Friday, and more than 250 trains were cancelled till 2 pm.6 amTraffic restrictions came into force across central Delhi.Early morningCJP founder Abhijeet Dipke left Mumbai for Delhi, saying the government was “scared”.Police checked buses and vehicles entering Delhi from Uttar Pradesh.8 am to 10 amStory continues below this adDetentions began at Connaught Place’s inner circle. About 100 people were picked up by 8.50 am and around 200 by mid-morning.Indian Express reporters counted around 3,000 security personnel near Parliament Street police station, with all approach roads barricaded.YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who has about 33 million followers on YouTube, was detained from his home in Gurugram’s Sector 56, police sources said.CJP legal head Ratna Singh was detained in Delhi.10.19 amDipke’s flight landed. He, convener Saurav Das and leader Ashutosh Ranka were detained from inside the aircraft, the party said. “Main arrest hone ke liye hi aaya hoon, kar lo arrest (I have come only to be arrested, so arrest me),” Dipke told police, in a video shared by the CJP.The three were taken out through a private gate to an undisclosed location and later reportedly moved to separate sites.Late morning to early afternoonIn Mumbai, police detained Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson, before a solidarity protest at August Kranti Maidan.Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas and former Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal were detained while heading to Jantar Mantar and taken to Chhatrasal Stadium, one of the main detention sites.Brittas said police drove them around the city for an hour first. “Delhi is under the siege and basic democratic rights have been violated,” he said.More than 70 people who had spent the night at Bangla Sahib gurdwara were detained as they stepped out.1 pm to 3 pmNo protester had reached Jantar Mantar by about 1.20 pm, Indian Express reporters said.Neha Bora and Yogendra Yadav, who led a march from Dilli Haat towards Jantar Mantar, were detained near the INA Metro station. Prashant Bhushan was also detained. Students briefly stopped the bus carrying the detainees near the Safdarjung flyover.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a dharna near South Avenue after being stopped. Trinamool Congress’s Saket Gokhale posted on X that she and five others were detained from outside her residence and driven to an unknown location. Derek O’Brien was among them. Banerjee later went live on Facebook from the police van.Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was detained in Chandigarh.A group of 100 to 150 people gathered near Rajiv Chowk Metro station and was dispersed by police. Similar crowds at Connaught Place were detained or scattered, and small groups remained at different points nearby.About 2,000 people had been detained across Delhi by 2.49 pm, Indian Express reporters said.3 pmStory continues below this adAAP convener Arvind Kejriwal was detained near Jantar Mantar. Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj was also detained.The politicsBJP president Nitin Nabin accused the CJP and Rahul Gandhi of trying to “destabilise” the country, while BJP MP Sambit Patra said “mobocracy” had been “defeated by democracy”.Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said youth, students, lawyers, journalists and content creators were being detained, and accused the Modi government of turning the “Mother of Democracy” into a “Muzzled Democracy”.Opposition leaders, including M K Stalin, compared the lockdown to the Emergency.The Supreme Court had directed the Centre to ensure transport curbs do not amount to a complete shutdown.