‘Cockroach’ group leaders among hundreds detained in Delhi protest

Hundreds of protesters were arrested in Delhi during a demonstration led by the Gen-Z driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The founder of the group, Abhijeet Dipke, was among the detained individuals shortly after arriving in the capital. Tens of thousands of security forces were present and roads were barricaded prior to the event, though the CJP insisted it would occur.

The Delhi Police has not commented on the arrests but had previously denied the protest permission to take place at Jantar Mantar, a famous landmark in the city. The CJP, who are not officially recognized as a political party in India, are pushing for electoral reforms and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claiming he has manipulated voters' lists.

This comes just weeks before significant state elections. The CJP accuses Kumar of favoring Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the update of the electoral rolls, a claim the Election Commission and BJP deny. Before arriving in Delhi, Dipke warned, "If you think you can stop us by threatening us with jail or trying to intimidate us with the fear of imprisonment, you are mistaken."