The detentions came two days after Delhi Police removed the iconic site from its list of authorised protest venues.
TBS Report
13 October, 2026, 11:20 am
Last modified: 13 October, 2026, 11:25 am
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police today while trying to enter Jantar Mantar this morning (13 October), police sources said.
In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said several other team members, including Ajinkya Shinde, had also been detained.
"Cockroaches with the Tiranga [national flag] sneaked into Jantar Mantar early this morning before they were picked up by Delhi Police," Dipke wrote.
He said Ranka, Das, Shinde and other team members had been detained.
Dipke also shared a video showing CJP members jumping over a gate to enter Jantar Mantar and raising slogans such as "Bharat Mata ki Jai". Police personnel are seen rushing towards them and grabbing them.
"You cannot denotify the resistance," Dipke added in his post, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The detentions come amid heightened security in New Delhi following calls by various organisations to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The incident took place a day after CJP leaders met officers at Parliament Street Police Station, near Jantar Mantar, and sought permission to hold a protest there.
Yesterday (12 October), Delhi Police removed Jantar Mantar from its list of authorised protest sites and designated three alternative venues for demonstrations: Ramlila Maidan in Old Delhi, Burari Ground in north Delhi and CBD Ground in east Delhi.
Delhi Police has deployed a large number of personnel across the city to maintain law and order.