NEW DELHI: The national capital turned into a fortress on Saturday as heavy security deployment, massive transport restrictions, and widespread detentions marked the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) anti-Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) protest at Jantar Mantar. Authorities have detained over 1,000 people, including prominent YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and several activists, in pre-dawn raids and sweeping crackdown operations across Delhi and its borders.

The demonstration, organized by the CJP alongside student bodies like AISA, was called to demand the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and a rollback of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Despite Delhi Police denying permission for the gathering citing public order concerns, the party asserted that "Jantar Mantar 2.0" has begun, stating that citizens refuse to be intimidated by "shock and awe" tactics.

Unprecedented Security and Transport Lock Down

Ahead of the planned protest, the Ministry of Home Affairs deployed over 221 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (around 23,000 personnel) alongside Delhi Police. Multi-layered barricades, heavy deployment of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), and rigorous vehicle checks were enforced at major interstate borders, including Tikri, Badarpur, and the Chilla checkpoint.

Commuters faced immense disruptions as authorities implemented sweeping shutdowns:

  • Delhi Metro: Entry and exit gates at nearly 45 to 57 metro stations—including high-traffic hubs like Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Central Secretariat, and Mandi House—were shuttered. However, the Supreme Court earlier cautioned authorities against complete blanket shutdowns of transport networks.

  • Railways & Transit: Indian Railways suspended train services at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations for a 10-hour window, while cab aggregators like Uber and Ola were instructed to restrict movement around central Delhi.

  • Internet & Commercial Curbs: Mobile internet services were temporarily restricted within a 4-kilometer radius of the Janpath–Kartavya Path area, and citywide liquor shops along with Connaught Place markets remained closed.

High-Profile Detentions and Political Reactions

High-profile figures and youth leaders found themselves caught in the police net. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who recently arrived from abroad, was detained from his Gurugram residence early Saturday morning, drawing sharp condemnation from the CJP, which demanded his immediate and unconditional release.

Meanwhile, religious and political leaders weighed in on the tense atmosphere. All India Imam Organisation chief Umar Ahmed Ilyasi appealed to the Muslim community and mosque imams to steer clear of the demonstration, cautioning youth against being used as political pawns.

Despite the heavy clampdown, protest organizers and opposition voices remained defiant, vowing to push forward with their accountability campaign against the Election Commission. Police forces remain on high alert across all 15 districts as detentions and monitoring continue.