From mass detentions to political war of words: How Delhi protests unfolded

NEW DELHI: Delhi witnessed an extraordinary security clampdown on October 10 as police moved to prevent the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) proposed protest against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar. What began with barricades, transport restrictions and preventive detentions escalated into a day of mass arrests, street demonstrations, reported clashes and a fierce political confrontation over the right to protest.By late afternoon, Delhi Police detained more than 3,000 people across the national capital. Those detained included CJP leaders, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, former Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, student activists, lawyers and other opposition leaders. Two police personnel were reported injured in incidents involving stone-pelting.As the detentions mounted, opposition leaders accused the government of suppressing dissent.