NEW DELHI: High drama unfolded in the national capital as Delhi Police detained prominent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders, including Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and Ajinkya Shinde, following an unauthorized attempt to breach the de-notified Jantar Mantar protest site.
The detentions occurred early Tuesday morning after CJP members managed to sneak past security. Video footage shared widely on social media platforms showed activists scaling a gate from the direction of the nearby JD(U) office premises, hoisting flags, and raising slogans before security personnel rushed in to intercept them.
Taking to social media, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke condemned the police action, asserting that public resistance cannot be silenced. "Cockroaches with the Tiranga sneaked into Jantar Mantar early this morning... You cannot denotify resistance," Dipke posted on X. CJP leader Saurav Das also declared from a detention vehicle that "Jantar Mantar has been reclaimed".
The high-security clampdown follows a recent order by the Delhi Police de-notifying Jantar Mantar as a designated public demonstration site. The historic venue—long considered a focal point for public dissent in the heart of the city—has been replaced with alternative sites located further away from major administrative hubs. The relocation has sparked widespread backlash from civic groups and political activists, who argue that shifting venues drastically suppresses freedom of expression and limits public outreach to decision-makers.
Tensions across Central Delhi remain exceptionally high. Authorities have ramped up security deployments and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) presence in response to ongoing widespread opposition protests targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll revisions. Law enforcement agencies have warned that strict legal actions will continue against anyone violating prohibitory orders or attempting to stage unauthorized gatherings at restricted locations.
