Hundreds of Protesters Suffer Detention Over 'Cockroach' Protest in Delhi
On Thursday, Delhi police detained more than 300 demonstrators who marched under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party, an anti‑government movement that sparked after the Chief Justice’s remark that some unemployed young people were “cockroaches”.
The presence‑independent show of dissent was planned despite the police’s denial of permission. Tens of thousands of security guards were stationed on the city’s major roads, and the protest route was blocked by barricades.
The group’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, could be seen in a viral video being led away by officers on a private bus, an image that has become a symbol of the crackdown.
Despite the bans, the party stood by its resolve: “We will go ahead,” said Dipke, and several hundred protesters lined up, only to be met by a surprise detainment squad.
BBC journalist Azadeh Moshiri on the ground explains the background of the movement, the impact on Delhi’s civic life, and India’s broader climate of protest under rising political pressure.
