Massive security deployment blocks Cockroach Janta Party protest in New Delhi
Around 35,000 police and paramilitary forces sealed off central Delhi, preventing the Cockroach Janta Party from reaching Jantar Mantar and detaining dozens of demonstrators.
Authorities deployed an unprecedented force of about 35,000 police and paramilitary personnel across central Delhi and surrounding border areas, effectively choking off metro and train operations. The move was aimed at stopping the Cockroach Janta Party's planned march to Jantar Mantar on Saturday. Protesters attempting to reach the site were stopped, placed in buses and vans, and detained throughout the day, often resisting with loud protests.
Isolated incidents of stone-throwing injured three or four individuals, including a woman, and a Deputy Commissioner of Police suffered a broken hand. Water-cannon trucks and tear-gas vehicles were kept ready, and layered barricades were erected to control crowds. Police reported only minor confrontations, but the extensive security presence signaled a continued hardline stance on public demonstrations.
Why it matters
The crackdown shows the government's willingness to use extensive force to suppress dissent in the capital.
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