A Game of Hide-and-Seek: CJP and Youth Protesters Duck Into Washrooms, Gurdwara Amid Capital-Wide Clampdown

Protesters Seek Shelter as Delhi Police Tightens Security

Delhi witnessed an unusual series of encounters on October 10, 2026, as protesters supporting the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) attempted to evade detention during a citywide security operation.

Demonstrators had planned to gather at Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities. However, Delhi Police had denied permission for the proposed gathering and deployed extensive security personnel across the capital.

As barricades and checkpoints restricted movement, some protesters sought temporary shelter in public spaces and places of worship. Others moved between streets and gathering points, attempting to rejoin demonstrations whenever an opportunity arose.

According to a Press Trust of India report published by The Economic Times, the situation developed into a series of attempts by protesters to avoid police detention while continuing to express their political demands.

More Than 20 Young Protesters Hide in Connaught Place Washroom

One of the most unusual incidents took place at a New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) public washroom in Connaught Place.

According to reports, more than 20 young protesters had taken shelter inside the facility overnight, hoping to avoid security checks and join the planned march to Jantar Mantar in the morning.

The group had reportedly gathered after restrictions were announced across Delhi on Friday night. The washrooms normally remained locked between 10 pm and 6 am, providing the protesters with a temporary hiding place during the night.

Their plan was disrupted when police personnel inspected the facility the following morning and discovered the group inside. Reports said some protesters had allegedly forced open the door to gain entry.

The protesters were subsequently rounded up and taken away in police vehicles. Several had their faces covered, and some continued shouting slogans and banging on the interiors of the vehicles after being detained.

The incident illustrated the difficulties police faced in enforcing restrictions across multiple public spaces, while also showing the lengths to which some demonstrators went to participate in the planned protest. The reported circumstances of the washroom entry and detention remain based on media accounts of the incident.

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Becomes a Temporary Shelter

Another significant episode unfolded around Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, one of Delhi’s prominent Sikh religious sites.

According to reports, some young protesters had taken shelter inside the gurdwara overnight after security restrictions were announced. On Saturday, groups repeatedly emerged from the premises to join demonstrations in nearby streets and retreated inside when police personnel approached.

Slogans including “Inquilab Zindabad” and “Jai Bhim” were heard as protesters gathered outside the religious complex. Police subsequently detained several demonstrators in the surrounding area.

The gurdwara had also provided shelter to student protesters during an earlier demonstration in July, when they were demanding the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The use of the premises during the latest protest prompted discussion about the role of religious institutions during demonstrations and the limits of police intervention around places of worship.

India Today reported that Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka criticised the protesters’ actions. He alleged that some demonstrators had entered with placards and raised slogans inside the premises, and said protests should take place outside the gurdwara rather than within it.

Gurdwara Management Raises Objections

The presence of protesters inside Gurdwara Bangla Sahib led to a disagreement over how the situation should be handled.

According to the PTI report, police had approached representatives of the gurdwara and asked them not to allow protesters to enter the premises. The representatives reportedly refused to exclude the demonstrators, saying they were unarmed and were not raising slogans inside the gurdwara.

Separately, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee’s president objected to protesters allegedly entering the premises with placards and using the religious site as part of their demonstration.

These accounts reflect different concerns surrounding the incident: the protesters’ attempts to avoid detention, the police operation to prevent an unauthorised gathering and the religious management’s position on demonstrations within the gurdwara.

The reports did not establish that all protesters behaved in the same way or that every allegation concerning activity inside the premises was independently verified.

Security Restrictions Spread Across the Capital

The incidents at Connaught Place and Bangla Sahib occurred amid an extensive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel across Delhi.

According to the PTI report, more than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the capital. Authorities imposed traffic restrictions on around 30 road stretches near Jantar Mantar and closed 45 metro stations as part of the security arrangements.

Police checkpoints were established at several locations, including border entry points, railway stations, bus terminals, hotels and other sensitive areas. Identity checks and vehicle inspections were also carried out.

The restrictions made it difficult for demonstrators to reach the planned venue. As a result, groups of protesters appeared at different locations, including Connaught Place and roads near Bangla Sahib, instead of gathering at one central site.

The security measures also affected public movement and transport. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation extended the closure of entry and exit gates at 45 stations until 10 pm on October 10, citing security reasons.

Protesters Continue to Assemble at Different Locations

Despite the restrictions, demonstrators continued attempting to organise smaller gatherings around the city.

According to The Indian Express, protesters appeared at locations including Dilli Haat, the Safdarjung Airport flyover, areas around Connaught Place and Raj Ghat. These smaller demonstrations emerged after heavy security deployment and barricading made it difficult to reach Jantar Mantar.

The dispersal of protesters across different locations complicated the authorities’ efforts to manage the planned demonstration. Some groups attempted to regroup after police interventions, while others were detained.

The broader operation resulted in thousands of detentions. Reuters reported that more than 2,000 people were detained in Delhi as authorities moved to prevent the planned protest. The figures reported by different outlets varied according to the timing and scope of their reporting.

Why Were CJP Protesters Demonstrating?

The CJP demonstration was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The SIR process involves reviewing voter lists to verify eligibility and improve their accuracy. However, Opposition parties and activists have raised concerns about the possible exclusion of eligible voters and the transparency of the revision process.

The protesters alleged that irregularities in electoral rolls threatened voting rights and called for greater accountability from the Election Commission of India.

The BJP and the Election Commission have rejected allegations of deliberate electoral manipulation, maintaining that voter-list verification is a legitimate part of the electoral process.

The October 10 demonstration therefore formed part of a wider political dispute over electoral fairness. The protest itself, and the police response to it, do not independently establish whether the allegations concerning voter lists are true.

Public Order and the Right to Protest

The events in Delhi highlighted the challenges of balancing public-order restrictions with the right to peaceful assembly.

Police had denied permission for the proposed demonstration, citing concerns related to arrangements for the gathering. Authorities then deployed extensive security resources to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar.

For demonstrators, the restrictions made it difficult to assemble at the intended venue and led some to seek shelter in public facilities and religious premises. Their actions drew attention to the difficulties of organising a protest under the circumstances.

The use of Gurdwara Bangla Sahib also raised questions about the relationship between religious spaces and political demonstrations. While places of worship may provide shelter to people, their managements can have separate concerns about activities conducted within their premises.

The legality of individual detentions and the conduct of both protesters and police personnel must be assessed on the specific facts of each incident.

Conclusion

The CJP protest in Delhi on October 10 turned into a series of scattered demonstrations as police enforced extensive security restrictions. More than 20 young protesters reportedly hid overnight in an NDMC washroom in Connaught Place, while others took shelter at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib and repeatedly emerged to join demonstrations.

The incidents occurred amid demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and the rollback of the SIR exercise. With barricades, transport restrictions and large-scale detentions preventing many demonstrators from reaching Jantar Mantar, protesters attempted to regroup at alternative locations across the capital.