Delhi Police Pick Up Over a Thousand People Ahead of Jantar Mantar Protest

Delhi Police removed over a thousand individuals from various parts of the city ahead of a planned demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party near Jantar Mantar. The party planned this protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over complaints about mistakes in voter list updates.

Crackdown Details

Officers started picking up people late on Friday and early Saturday across multiple districts, city borders, and transit points to stop large groups from gathering. More than 250 individuals were picked up in southeast Delhi around Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Nagar, while over 100 were removed from east and northeast Delhi. Police also took people into custody at railway stations, bus terminals, Connaught Place, Lutyens' Delhi, and near the airport, where party co-convenor Saurav Das had stated members would arrive. Authorities noted that some protesters had stayed at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, and all detainees are being sent to 13 designated detention centers across different districts.

Security Measures

Law enforcement officials estimate that more than 20,000 protesters might reach Jantar Mantar, prompting massive security steps. Over 30,000 security personnel are deployed across the capital, and all border areas are under heavy watch. Authorities have set up extra checkpoints between central, New Delhi, south, southeast, and southwest districts, which will likely cause heavy traffic jams around Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place, Sansad Marg, Ashoka Road, and Janpath.

Context

Large-scale preventive detentions are a common crowd-control tactic used by law enforcement during high-profile political demonstrations to maintain public order and manage traffic flow in densely populated urban centers. These measures aim to restrict large gatherings before they reach designated protest venues, minimizing potential disruptions to daily civic life.