Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee detained amid CJP protest in Delhi; around 1,000 protesters detained

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were detained in Delhi on Saturday (Oct 10) amid a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The detentions came as police tightened security across the national capital, with thousands of personnel deployed to prevent protesters from marching towards Jantar Mantar.

Delhi Police sources told ANI that around 1,000 protesters had been detained across the capital while attempting to march towards the protest site. The demonstration centres on allegations of irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.

Kejriwal criticises detentions

Kejriwal had announced earlier that he would participate in the CJP protest along with his family. The AAP subsequently alleged that heavy security had been deployed outside his residence.

According to a Hindustan Times report, Kejriwal criticised the detention of CJP leaders and described the situation as “worse than the Emergency”.

Mamata claims she was ‘kidnapped’

Banerjee was detained along with several Trinamool Congress leaders during a protest near her South Avenue residence. She later said she had been taken to Dwarka North police station with five MPs and announced that she would remain in Delhi to participate in the INDIA bloc’s planned march on Monday.

“4pm. Along with our 5 MPs, we have started our dharna at Dwarka North PS where we have been brought. We were kidnapped and driven around in a prison van for two hours. I am not returning to Kolkata tonight and in protest against all that is happening today against the youth and all, I will join the I.N.D.I.A march on Monday,” she said in a post on X.

Heavy security, metro restrictions across Delhi

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, along with Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, was detained at Indira Gandhi International Airport, a senior police officer confirmed. More than 1,500 CJP supporters were also reported to have been detained from different parts of Delhi as a preventive measure.

Around 35,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the capital. Barricades and vehicle checks were introduced around central Delhi and along routes leading to Jantar Mantar.

The security arrangements also affected public transport. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation restricted entry and exit at 45 stations from 9 pm on Friday until 6 pm on Saturday, revising an earlier list of 57 stations. Interchange facilities remained available at the affected stations, except New Delhi.

The Election Commission has maintained that the electoral-roll revision involves verification and that eligible voters removed from draft rolls can enrol again.