Delhi Police have detained at least 100 people with criminal records in overnight operations across 15 districts, sources told The Hindu. They were allegedly suspected of joining Saturday’s (October 10, 2026) planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) at Jantar Mantar amid the ongoing Election Commission row.

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At least 100 people with criminal records have been detained across 15 districts of the national capital as part of a preventive measure, the source added.

Earlier, the Delhi Police denied permission for the proposed protest at Jantar Mantar, citing alleged non-compliance with conditions agreed upon during an earlier demonstration. Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Nupur Prasad said on Friday (October 9, 2026) that the permission was sought in the last minute while as per rules it should be sort atleast 10 days before the protest.

The CJP had maintained that it was informing the police rather than seeking permission, arguing that Jantar Mantar is a designated protest site and that the police should facilitate a peaceful gathering. Mr. Das had submitted the letter at Parliament Street police station and received an acknowledgement, according to the organisers.

As Delhi prepares for the protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, traffic diversions will be enforced from 6 a.m. on Saturday (October 10, 2026), affecting movement at 30 key points across Delhi, police said.

Authorities have also taken several other measures ahead of the protest, including internet curbs in parts of Delhi, the shutting down of markets and Metro stations, and the cancelling dozens of trains bound for the capital.

With PTI inputs

Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET irregularities, ended his fast late on Thursday (July 24, 2026) night.

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The move came even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a late-night video message posted on his X and Instagram accounts, promised that the government would discuss NEET paper leaks in Friday’s (July 24) Cabinet meeting and would bring a Bill in Parliament next week. “More strict actions against paper leaks to come in tomorrow’s Cabinet [meeting],” Mr. Modi said in his post.

Mr. Wangchuk broke his fast in the presence of two Union Ministers, said Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, co-convener, Leh Apex Body.

He broke the fast on certain conditions, with the government giving written assurance that cases against students would be taken back if they were not violent, said Mr. Dorjay. The government also said that it would consider compensation for families of suicide victims, he said. The developments came shortly after the Centre shifted Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Meanwhile, government sources told The Hindu that CJP leaders may meet Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh on Friday. A response from the CJP on the meeting was awaited.

The CJP had earlier asked the Ministers to meet the delegation at Jantar Mantar or any other neutral venue.

Among the changes in the Education Department, Naresh Pal Gangwar, who was serving as the secretary in the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, has now been appointed Higher Education Secretary. T.K. Anil Kumar, an additional secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development, has been brought in as the School Education Secretary, another post which was held by Mr. Joshi.

Earlier in the day, in his first outreach to the protesters three days after the CJP-led march to Parliament, Mr. Modi announced the setting up of fast-track courts to swiftly handle cases of paper leaks. He said the welfare of the youth was the top priority of his government and asserted that anyone trying to harm their future will not be spared. But the CJP said the proposal did not address the issue of accountability or the resignation of Mr. Pradhan.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, the Delhi High Court notified a designated court to deal with criminal cases arising from paper leaks as well as the use of other unfair means in public examinations. The special court will function from the Rouse Avenue Court Complex.

Earlier on Thursday, Mr. Singh said that the Centre had approached the CJP for talks four times in the past 24 hours. He said a meeting can be held either at Mr. Nadda’s official residence or office, adding that Mr. Modi was “sensitive” to the issue of the paper leak and that “the government was not sitting on prestige”.

While the CJP refused to engage with the government, inside Parliament the Opposition stepped up its attack. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government of destroying the education system and using force against students. “You allowed and encouraged the total capture and destruction of our education system – and protected every person responsible for it,” Mr. Gandhi wrote on X. Mr. Kharge asked the government to “(c)ome out of your air-conditioned ivory towers and look into the eyes of the young men and women who bled on the streets.”

Government sources said that as of now, all cases of paper leaks under the NTA will be dealt with under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. “Centre will soon be asking States and respective high courts to set up fast-track courts to deal with cases,” the sources said. The Jantar Mantar protest site remained under a heavy security cover, and traffic was disrupted in parts of central Delhi for the second consecutive day. 17 metro stations in Delhi remained shut on Thursday, and mobile Internet was suspended in parts of central Delhi till midnight within a 1.5-km radius of Jantar Mantar. The CJP has also called for a nationwide agitation on Friday (July 24), asking its supporters to protest in every district.

(With inputs from PTI)

The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at the Jantar Mantar here, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and government accountability over alleged examination irregularities, entered its 16th day on Sunday (July 5, 2026), while it was the eighth day of an indefinite hunger strike announced by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has lost around six kg since beginning the fast.

According to a health bulletin issued by doctors, Mr. Wangchuk’s blood pressure was recorded at 112/70 mm Hg in the lying-down position, heart rate at 72 beats per minute and blood sugar at 67 mg/dL. The bulletin said his hydration is fair, he is mentally alert and his weight has dropped to 60.95 kg, accounting for a loss of around six kg in seven days.

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke speaks to supporters during a hunger strike demanding action over alleged irregularities in examinations and seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 05, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

The CJP continued to press for Mr. Pradhan’s resignation, alleging that repeated examination irregularities and paper leaks have devastated the lives of students and their families.

In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the parents of NEET aspirant Riya Kumari Thapa, who the outfit claims died after the alleged paper leak shattered her dreams, visited the protest site on Sunday (July 5).

Mr. Dipke said Thapa’s father, an Army veteran, joined the protest with the appeal that no other family should have to endure the loss that his family has suffered and urged the Centre to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

In another post, the CJP said it stands firmly with Thapa’s parents in their grief and fight against what it described as a corrupt system that failed their daughter.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical colleges, held on May 3, was cancelled amid allegations of paper leak. A re-test was held on June 21.

Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which had earlier extended support to the CJP agitation, is now scheduled to send a delegation to the Jantar Mantar on July 7. The farmers’ body had initially said in its letter to the CJP that its delegation would visit the protest site on Sunday (July 6).

The SKM has expressed solidarity with the students and youngsters participating in the agitation, saying every student has the right to a transparent, fair and credible examination system and that ensuring accountability is the government’s responsibility.

Several members of the Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA) also continued their indefinite hunger strike on a separate stage at the protest site.

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) joint secretary Danish Ali was admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Saturday (July 4) after her blood sugar level dropped to 46 mg/dL on the seventh day of the hunger strike. Meanwhile, Neha, Manish, Hrishikesh, Deepak Kumar Verma and Aameen continued their indefinite fast at the protest site.

The CJP protest began on June 20 over alleged irregularities in the country’s examination system and has since drawn support from several political leaders, activists and civil-society members.

Heavy security arrangements were put in place across the national capital on Saturday (June 20, 2026) as the Cockroach Janta Party will hold its second protest at Jantar Mantar, with police deploying extensive surveillance and crowd-control measures, officials said.

The protest, led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. amid heightened police presence, with supporters arriving from different parts of Delhi and neighbouring States.

Authorities have granted permission for the demonstration, officials said.

CCTV cameras were installed in and around the protest venue to monitor the gathering in real time, while around 270 body-worn cameras will be used by police personnel deployed at the site to ensure transparency and document proceedings, according to officials.

Delhi Police videographers were also stationed at the venue to record the protest and track any developments on the ground, they said.

Multiple layers of barricades have been placed around Jantar Mantar and adjoining roads, with vehicles being checked at key entry and exit points across the city as part of preventive measures.

Senior Delhi Police officers, including top brass, have been assigned field duties to oversee the arrangements and ensure law and order, police sources said. Reserve forces have also been kept on standby to tackle any untoward situation.

“Delhi Police has made adequate arrangements and we appeal to protesters to maintain peace and cooperate with law enforcement,” a senior officer said.

The Special Branch is keeping a close watch on developments at the protest site as well as related activity on social media, officials said.

Security has also been strengthened at major transport hubs, including the Indira Gandhi International Airport, railway stations, inter-state bus terminals and border points, as a precautionary measure.

Traffic diversions have been planned in parts of central Delhi depending on the size of the gathering, while metro services continue to operate normally, officials added.

On June 15, Mr. Dipke was slapped multiple times and manhandled by miscreants while he was being carried on supporters’ shoulders during a protest in Jaipur.

The CJP, which started as a satirical online campaign following remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a court hearing last month, has since grown into an organised protest platform, drawing considerable traction on social media.