Despite heavy security arrangements, severe transport restrictions and an Internet shutdown, protesters on Saturday (October 10, 2026) managed to reach locations near Jantar Mantar in central Delhi to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities. With Jantar Mantar inaccessible, protesters led by All India Students Association (AISA) president Neha attempted to assemble at Dilli Haat in south Delhi before being detained.
According to Delhi Police sources, nearly 2,500 protesters were detained across the capital during the day, indicating a high turnout despite the absence of prominent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders on the ground. All detainees were released by late evening, the sources said. Few journalists were also detained. These detentions were in addition to around 1,000 people picked up in preventive operations across Delhi overnight ahead of the protest. Several lawyers who were also detained were released following an intervention by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
Connaught Place, near Jantar Mantar, one of Delhi’s busiest commercial hubs, wore a deserted look amid an “unprecedented” security deployment in recent times, with multiple layers of barricading and police personnel severely restricting public movement.
All roads leading to Jantar Mantar were barricaded, with loudspeakers warning people of legal action if they defied police instructions.
The day began with the detention of CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das immediately after their Air India flight from Mumbai landed at Delhi airport. The three had publicly announced their visit on social media, urging supporters to assemble at Jantar Mantar at 10 a.m. on Saturday (October 10, 2026) for what they described as the “Final Call to Save Democracy.”
The youth-led protest, called by Left groups, the CJP and civil society groups, kept the police and security forces on their toes as police forcibly removed protesters, put them in buses and took them to large halls and stadiums on the outskirts of Delhi that had been converted into detention centres.
4 ex-CMs among detainees
INDIA bloc leaders, including four former Chief Ministers—Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, Manik Sarkar and Arvind Kejriwal—were also among those detained.
The CJP and the Students Federation of India (SFI) announced that protest march to Jantar Mantar would be organised every day till the CEC resigned.
Security personnel rush to disperse protesters near Connaught Place in New Delhi on October 10, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
New Delhi district was virtually fortified on Saturday (October 10, 2026), with over 20,000 security personnel, including Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the Delhi Police, holding vigil from early morning till late in the day, preventing protesters from entering the district, let alone reaching Jantar Mantar. With 45 Metro stations shut, over 200 trains arriving in Delhi cancelled, schools and colleges suspending classes, and marketplaces across central Delhi closed, protesters continued to find ways to reach the site, with some walking several miles.
The borders of the national capital were also barricaded, and incoming vehicles were monitored. A large number of protesters were detained at the borders before they could even enter the city. Police also held “aman” (peace) meetings with members of various communities to discourage them from participating in the protest. Loudspeaker announcements warned people about Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) being in place in New Delhi, prohibiting any rally or procession.
Protesters were detained from Rajghat, Janpath, Connaught Place, Ashoka Road, Gurudwara Bangla Saheb and ITO, and taken to locations on the outskirts, including Burari, Nangloi, Mundka, Shalimar Bagh and Ashok Nagar.
The flashpoint of the protest was the Safdarjung flyover, where Neha tried to enter New Delhi district to march towards Jantar Mantar.
While the police detained Neha and many of her associates, several protesters who were unable to reach Jantar Mantar due to the high security deployment, reached the spot of the AISA protest.
Neha announced on social media that “Dilli Haat becomes our Jantar Mantar! Gyanesh Kumar must go!”. This prompted a swell of protesters to reach the site.
The CJP along with other Left organisations asked people to continue the protest. Protesters sat down on the road and numbers swelled before they were detained, as the area was outside the jurisdiction of the heavily secured New Delhi district.
Mumbai protests
In Mumbai, the group ‘Hum Bharat ke Log’ called for a protest in solidarity with the CJP at the historic August Kranti Maidan on Saturday (October 10, 2026) afternoon. The police detained activist Tushar Gandhi and other organisers hours before the protest.
Mr. Gandhi recorded a video appealing to people to turn up in large numbers at the maidan. The police barricaded the ground, preventing protesters from approaching it. Over 300 protesters were detained near Nana Chowk.
Actor Imran Khan and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai were among those detained. The police said some women protesters were released by Saturday (October 10, 2026) evening. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray sat at the DN Nagar police station for several few hours, seeking Mr. Gandhi’s release.
(With inputs from Mumbai Bureau)
Published – October 11, 2026 04:28 am IST
