Jantar Mantar 2.0: Fist pumps, detentions & barricades—dramatic scenes from a city on edge

New Delhi: The heart of the national capital has been turned into a virtual fortress by Delhi Police in the wake of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP’s) call for a protest at Jantar Mantar Saturday against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and to seek Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Barricades have been placed, drones set up, internet shut down, and a massive security deployment mobilised. Prohibitory restrictions are also in place in the New Delhi district.

Shortly after landing at the IGI Airport, three CJP office-bearers—Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka—were taken into preventive custody by the Delhi Police, while they were still inside the flight. Earlier in the day, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and CJP’s legal cell chief Ratna Singh were also detained in Gurugram and Delhi, respectively.

All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora and political activist Yogendra Yadav have also been detained at Dilli Haat, where they were leading a demonstration.

Hundreds of people have been detained so far amid restrictions, with the number quickly swelling up. This included many lawyers who had announced a march Saturday, ahead of the protests, from the Supreme Court to the Jantar Mantar. This led the Chief Justice of India to intervene, after the Supreme Court Bar Association raised the matter with him.

Delhi Police personnel on patrol near Jantar Mantar on 10 October 2026 | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

Hundreds of protesters have been detained in the national capital | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

CJP supporters being detained outside Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in New Delhi Saturday | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was detained by the police soon after his flight landed at IGI Airport in New Delhi Saturday | ANI Video Grab

CJP co-convenor Saurav Das, who was travelling with Dipke, was detained as well | ANI video grab

Protesters outside Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in central Delhi | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

A demonstration outside Bangla Sahib Gurdwara | ANI

A police van parked near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 10 October 2026 | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

Several lawyers attempting to march from Supreme Court to Jantar Mantar were detained by the police | Samridhi Tewari/ThePrint

After the protesting lawyers’ detention, the Supreme Court Bar Association urged the Chief Justice of India to intervene | Samridhi Tewari/ThePrint

In a statement, the Supreme Court Bar Association condemned the ‘use of excessive force against, and the detention of senior and young advocates, particularly women advocates, who were peacefully protesting in the Supreme Court area’ | Samridhi Tewari/ThePrint

A policeman guiding commuters near Connaught Place in New Delhi on 10 October 2026 | Suraj Singh Bisht/ThePrint

CAPF personnel secured the protest site and the adjoining areas Saturday | Vitasta Kaul/ThePrint

Three layers of barricades blocked the protesters on the way to Jantar Mantar | Vitasta Kaul/ThePrint