Six individuals were taken into preventive custody by the Delhi Police on Saturday to avert a potential clash between opposing groups during a protest organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, officials confirmed. The detentions were a precautionary measure after intelligence inputs indicated possible tensions between supporters and opponents of the online movement.
According to news agency PTI, the preventive action was taken to ensure the protest concluded peacefully and to prevent any major law-and-order disruptions. The protest, led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, drew hundreds of participants, primarily students and young professionals, who assembled to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes.
Officials stated that the six individuals were detained after they were allegedly found attempting to disrupt the protest near the demonstration site. However, the situation remained under control, and no untoward incidents were reported. A robust security arrangement has been implemented at Jantar Mantar and other strategic locations across the national capital. More than 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in the New Delhi district and other sensitive areas, while heightened security measures have also been put in place at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and border entry points.
Senior police officials are closely monitoring the situation on the ground. Barricades have been installed around the protest venue to manage crowd movement, maintain order, and prevent any interaction between rival groups. The protest saw students wearing cockroach masks and carrying flowers as symbolic props. Several school students were also present at the gathering, accompanied by their parents. Demonstrators raised slogans demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes.
The CJP emerged as a youth-driven online movement in response to allegations of irregularities in several examinations and recruitment processes, including NEET, CUET, CBSE-related exams, and SSC recruitment tests. Over the past month, the group has gained traction through social media campaigns, calling for greater transparency, fairness, and accountability in the conduct of examinations and recruitment procedures.
The Delhi Police had stepped up security arrangements ahead of the protest amid concerns over large gatherings and the possibility of rival groups attempting to disrupt the demonstration. (With agency inputs)
