Picked up from trains: CJP, Left claim thousands detained before Jantar Mantar 2.0

Delhi has been turned into a virtual fortress ahead of the protest at Jantar Mantar. While Delhi Police has denied permission for the agitation, the CJP and other outfits have refused to back down.The CJP and Left outfits have alleged that several members were picked up from trains and railway stationsNew Delhi,Oct 9, 2026 18:59 ISTAhead of the mega protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi's Jantar Mantar, its reverberations are already being felt across the country's railway stations. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has given the Jantar Mantar 2.0 call, and the Left front have alleged that thousands of protesters headed to Delhi were being intercepted midway and picked up from trains.CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka tweeted that at least 10,000 people have been detained across the country. Over the past 24 hours, several videos have surfaced on social media showing police detaining people from trains and at railway stations. However, it could not be independently verified whether the detentions were linked to Saturday's protest at Jantar Mantar.CJP MEMBERS 'DETAINED' FROM TRAINSIn Madhya Pradesh, nearly 15 students travelling to Delhi on the Goa Express were forced to deboard by the police. A video has emerged showing cops forcing a group of youth to alight the train, leading to massive chaos and commotion.Angered by the action, the youth staged a protest on the platform before being removed by the police. Itarsi GRP inspector Sanjay Choukse said the students were disembarked from the train and later released. Denying that they were detained, he said they were staying at a hotel of their own "free will", PTI reported."Why not just declare Emergency," CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said, reacting to a video of the students being detained. In another post, Dipke alleged that several CJP Telangana volunteers were detained from Bhopal. "Detaining, arresting and beating people for a protest that hasn't even begun yet? The chaos this government has unleashed will shake the very thrones it sits on, sooner than they think," he further said.LEFT CLAIMS HOUSE ARRESTSThe allegations of detentions span West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.Ranka alleged that a similar crackdown took place in Kolkata, where a CJP team was picked up by people in plainclothes and taken to undisclosed locations.The CJP also claimed that Rajasthan Police forcibly detained its organisational co-in-charge Deepak Baliyan, who was recovering from a leg fracture, from his Alwar residence. He was released hours later, but not before he was dragged from his house and taken on a 100-km journey by the police, the CJP said.The outfit also claimed that police was showing up at PGs and hostels in Delhi.On the other hand, the SFI, one of the Left outfits that have jointly called for the Jantar Mantar protest, alleged that cops had been visiting the residences of its members to prevent them from travelling to Delhi.The All India Students' Association (AISA), another Left outfit, alleged that large-scale house arrests were taking place. However, AISA chief Neha Bora urged AISA members to continue the agitation even if the organisers were arrested."Trains bound for Delhi are being stopped. 57 metro stations have been closed. Paramilitary forces, the army and huge forces of security personnel are being deployed. This is nothing but a state of open emergency in the country," Neha said."There is no turning back," she tweeted.DELHI TURNS INTO FORTRESSThe developments come as Delhi has been turned into a virtual fortress. While Delhi Police has denied permission for the agitation, the CJP and other outfits have refused to back down.It has resulted in unprecedented curbs in the national capital and one of the largest deployments of central security forces.All trains scheduled to arrive at the New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations have been cancelled, while entry and exit have been barred at 57 metro stations. However, interchange services will continue at all metro stations except New Delhi.However, the restrictions have come under criticism from the Supreme Court, which made it clear that there cannot be a complete prohibition on metro and other train services."You can't use a sledgehammer to kill a fly," the top court said. It now remains to be seen what unfolds on Saturday.- Ends