Indian police detain founder of 'Cockroach' movement ahead of Delhi protest

Police in Delhi detained Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), and several supporters on Friday before a scheduled protest in the city’s central business district. The demonstration was organized to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a recent voter-list revision that critics say benefits Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The CJP, along with opposition groups and student organisations, has staged nearly daily protests this month. More than 130 million voter records were removed during the revision, a move the Election Commission says was not intended to favour any party and that allows affected voters to re-enrol. The BJP has accused rivals of undermining democracy by questioning the electoral process.

Dipke called the Friday protest in support of two CJP leaders who had been jailed earlier in the week for violating a protest ban. Supporters were urged to gather at Central Park in Connaught Place to wave the national flag. A live video posted by the CJP showed Dipke walking toward the street when police stopped him, engaged in a brief argument, and then placed him in a police vehicle.

"We are detaining you right now," a police officer said in the video.

Dipke responded, \"I have not broken any law right now… how can you detain me?\"

The CJP announced on X that Dipke had been detained and accused the government of fearing youth flag-waving. Student activist Neha Bora was also taken into custody while attempting to reach Connaught Place, according to local media.

Senior police officer Sachin Sharma told ANI that Dipke had been served a notice ordering him to obey the law and that he was warned of the consequences of any violation. Security was heightened, and the park was closed by civic authorities.

Dozens of protesters arrived at Connaught Place despite heavy security, some carrying small national flags. Smaller demonstrations were reported in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Patna, where participants also displayed organisational flags and confronted police barricades.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh characterised the protests as an effort by the main opposition party to seize power, saying, \"Instead of channeling the energy of the youth toward nation-building, they are being used as pawns in the politics of anarchy.\"