Delhi Police placed the national Capital on high alert on Saturday, 10 October ahead of a Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, deploying paramilitary forces, sealing inter-state borders, closing key Metro stations, and suspending internet services in a 4-km radius around the Janpath-Kartavya Path crossing. The demonstration, targeting the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, triggered one of the most elaborate security mobilisations the Capital has seen ahead of a political rally in recent months.

Borders Sealed, Metro Stations Closed

Barricades were erected at multiple entry points including Ghazipur and Badarpur borders, where personnel screened suspicious vehicles. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Anant Mittal personally reviewed arrangements at the Aya Nagar border. Metro stations, including Supreme Court and Mandi House, were shut as part of the cordon, while security was also tightened on roads leading to Janpath Metro Station and along Feroz Shah Road towards Mandi House.

Speaking to reporters, DCP Mittal said: 'Regarding the call given by the CJP to protest in New Delhi, security arrangements have been made accordingly in Delhi and in the South district as well. Special security arrangements are in place at inter-state and inter-district borders. We are preventing unauthorised elements from entering New Delhi and checking them. Our effort is to ensure that everything remains peaceful and law and order is maintained.'

Surveillance and Force Deployment

Drone surveillance was activated at key sites including New Delhi Railway Station, where Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were stationed and security marches conducted. Police personnel were equipped with body cameras to record any instances of manhandling or physical altercations. Heavy deployment was also reported at Janpath Gol Chakkar. In Ghaziabad, security was reinforced at Loni Gol Chakkar along the Delhi-Ghaziabad border, with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel deployed alongside Delhi Police and CCTV cameras used for continuous monitoring.

Additional Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel were deployed outside Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's residence, and security arrangements were also put in place at the residence of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. The Delhi Police designated an area of approximately 1.5 kilometres as a highly sensitive zone, covering Jantar Mantar, Janpath, the Election Commission's office, and Delhi Police headquarters.

Internet Suspended, Section 163 Imposed

Internet services were suspended within a 4-km radius of the Janpath-Kartavya Path crossing for 24 hours beginning at 10 pm on Friday. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was imposed in both Delhi and Gautam Buddh Nagar, prohibiting gatherings of five or more people without prior permission, processions, provocative speeches, and the spread of misleading information. The Gautam Buddh Nagar restrictions, imposed on Friday, came into force Saturday morning and are set to remain until 20 October.

Ground Situation and Passenger Movement

Despite the heightened security apparatus, passenger movement continued normally at Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. One traveller noted that while there had been apprehension overnight about being stopped, movement was allowed without issue by morning. This comes amid a broader pattern of the administration deploying pre-emptive, large-scale security infrastructure ahead of opposition-aligned protests in the Capital — a trend that has drawn both support from law enforcement and criticism from civil liberties advocates.

As the protest unfolds, authorities will be watching closely for any breach of the security perimeter; the scale of the response signals that the government regards the CJP mobilisation as a significant public-order test.