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NEW DELHI — Saturday, May 9, 2026
Delhi looked more like a garrison than a capital on Saturday. The planned "Jantar Mantar 2.0" protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had barely started before sweeping restrictions turned central Delhi into a heavily guarded zone. Roads that are normally full of weekend traffic fell silent, shops stayed chained, metro service was cut, and police vehicles lined major intersections. CJP leaders detained during the day called it an "emergency"; authorities said the measures were aimed at preventing violence and public disorder.
The empty streets were visible early. Connaught Place, a commercial hub that typically draws people even on weekends, was largely deserted. Police personnel and paramilitary forces outnumbered civilians on many stretches. Police buses, anti-riot vans, and metal barricades were stationed along key intersections, while loudspeaker announcements continuously asked people to stay away from the protest site.
Journalists were told not to enter the area or stand among protesters. Police warned that anyone who violated the restrictions could be prosecuted. The message was clear: the kind of large, sustained demonstration that Jantar Mantar has hosted many times before would not be allowed to take shape.
The restrictions moved well beyond the protest site. Metro rail services on several lines were curtailed, and some trains were canceled. Passengers at busy terminals such as Anand Vihar and Kashmere Gate rushed to board buses, while demand for auto-rickshaws and app-based cabs rose sharply. Some travelers were forced to change plans and take buses to complete journeys that would normally have been faster by Metro.
Local television footage showed long queues at bus stops and packed waiting areas. The disruption added to the sense that the entire city, not just the venue, had been placed under strict controls.
University campuses were placed on high alert as part of the same security push. Classes were suspended, exams were postponed, drones patrolled the skies, and several student leaders were reportedly confined to their residences. At Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia, barricades and police buses made routine movement difficult.
JNUSU president Aditi wrote on social media platform X that the campus was under "house arrest." Although authorities had initially promised that restrictions would be limited to a four-kilometer radius, the practical impact reached nearly 12 kilometers from the protest site.
Despite the police cordons, demonstrations broke out in the second half of the day at several points, including Jantar Mantar, Bangla Sahib Road, the outer Connaught Place circle, INA, Safdarjung flyover, the BJP headquarters, and Mandi House. Slogans were raised, police lines were tested, and some incidents turned violent. Reports from the ground described stone-pelting, breached barricades, and scuffles involving police, protesters, and journalists.
A police operation at a gurdwara drew criticism after officers entered the premises and detained several young men. The gates of mosques along Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and in Daryaganj were also found chained shut. Internet connectivity in parts of the area appeared to be disrupted, adding to the difficulty of getting independent information about what was happening on the ground.
The All India Students' Association (AISA) president, Neha Bora, had led mobilization efforts through the morning and announced that the protest venue was being shifted from Jantar Mantar to Dilli Haat. She marched with around 50 members from INA but was detained near Safdarjung flyover. "Even if one person is left on the road and protesting, the protest is on," she said afterward.
Students' Federation of India (SFI) president Aishe Ghosh was also detained. She got off a police bus after alleging that a woman police officer was not wearing a name tag. More than 25 JNU students were held along with former Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) president Ronak Khatri, Delhi University SFI president Savvy, and Jamia NSUI (National Students' Union of India) unit president Athnan. Eeshna Gupta, associated with the ASAP group, was reported to be under house arrest overnight.
Delhi Police brought out its all-women Pink Force and deployed central paramilitary units across the affected zones. Officers were equipped with body cameras mounted on their uniforms, including devices capable of recording in low light. The visible emphasis on surveillance and rapid response suggested that security agencies had anticipated firm resistance.
With senior CJP leaders in custody, founder Abhijeet Dipke issued a prerecorded video saying that Ajinkya Shinde, the party's organizational in-charge, would lead the movement until the detained leaders were released. The move reflected an attempt to keep the protest campaign going despite the police presence.
Social media was full of images showing detainees smiling and joking inside police buses. One widely shared clip showed a detained protester gesturing as if giving a city tour from the bus seat. Another post joked that people should "come to Delhi, get detained and get a free ride for hours."
The lighthearted moments stood in sharp contrast to the scale of the police operation. They also suggested that many of those taken into custody did not expect to remain behind bars for long.
No official count of detentions had been released by late evening. Delhi Police had not issued a detailed statement explaining why restrictions that were supposed to be localized had expanded across such a wide area. Legal observers said the administrative steps could face scrutiny, especially if the shutdown of normal city life had no clear legal basis.
Student groups have said the protests will continue in some form until the detained leaders are freed. Whether that happens depends on the next few hours. The city may see an easing of restrictions, or another day of the same unusual silence.
