Delhi Seals Capital as CJP Protest Blocked: Dipke Held on Flight, New March on Sundayਦਿੱਲੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੀਜੇਪੀ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਰੋਕਿਆ: ਦੀਪਕੇ ਜਹਾਜ਼ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਹਿਰਾਸਤ ਵਿੱਚ, ਐਤਵਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਨਵਾਂ ਮਾਰਚ

Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and two co-convenors from inside their aircraft at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday, hours before a planned protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Who was detained?

Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were taken into custody aboard the flight after it landed from Mumbai, police said. Dipke filmed officers entering the aircraft and told them he had come to be arrested. In the video he also said the action was worse than the Emergency. Influencer Dhruv Rathee was detained at his residence in Gurugram, while the CJP's legal cell head Ratna Singh and spokesperson Mehr were picked up from their homes, according to the outfit's statement.

Why did the CJP call the protest?

The CJP planned the demonstration to demand Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which it says deleted millions of voters. These are allegations, not established findings. Delhi Police denied permission for the protest, citing law-and-order concerns, procedural requirements and inconvenience to local residents and the public.

How the capital was locked down

Around 27,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the capital. Entry and exit were restricted at 57 metro stations, later reduced to 45, and the closures lasted about 25 hours before all gates reopened late on Saturday. Mobile internet was suspended in a four-kilometre radius around Janpath and Kartavya Path, more than 250 trains were cancelled, and vehicles were checked at Delhi's borders. The CJP claimed over 1,000 volunteers were detained and that stadiums had been turned into temporary holding centres.

The Punjab connection

The crackdown also swept up Aam Aadmi Party leaders. Arvind Kejriwal was detained and later released, and AAP workers in Punjab protested in Chandigarh in support of the Delhi demonstration, where Manish Sisodia and Harpal Cheema were detained outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office. Jugti has covered that Chandigarh protest separately.

Dipke's grandmother dies

Dipke's grandmother died while he was in detention, and Delhi Police offered to help him return for her last rites, reports said. The CJP has sought his release ahead of the last rites on Sunday.

What happens next

The CJP has announced a fresh protest at Jantar Mantar at 10 am on Sunday, with national organisational in-charge Ajinkya Shinde saying the party would not back down. Delhi Traffic Police has warned of restrictions across New Delhi and central Delhi. The Supreme Court is set to hold a special hearing on Sunday on pleas over the protest detentions, and the INDIA bloc has called a mega protest against Gyanesh Kumar for Monday.

Why was the Jantar Mantar protest not allowed?

Delhi Police denied permission citing possible law-and-order problems, procedural requirements and inconvenience to residents and the public.

Who is still in detention?

Dipke, Das and Ranka remain in detention while due legal process is followed. Police sources said all other detainees had been released.

What is the Special Intensive Revision?

It is the Election Commission's revision of electoral rolls. The CJP alleges millions of voters were deleted from the rolls during the process, which it calls manipulation. These are allegations, not established findings.

When is the next protest?

The CJP has called a fresh demonstration at Jantar Mantar at 10 am on Sunday, October 11.