Delhi’s ‘Cockroach’ Movement Leaders Detained in a Crackdown Even Pest Control Would Envy

Delhi’s ‘Cockroach’ protest leaders are behind bars as the capital goes into a lockdown that looks more like a pest‑control operation than a political one.

Hundreds of movement supporters were taken into police custody, and the police deployed tens of thousands of security personnel, barricading roads across the city. The massive deployment effectively halted the planned mass demonstration against the country’s election chief.

The sheer scale of the security presence turned Delhi’s streets into a cordoned‑off zone, with police vans shuttling detainees to temporary holding areas. The lockdown has left commuters stranded and the city’s usual bustle eerily quiet.

The crackdown, timed for the day the movement’s leaders were set to hold a large rally, underscores the authorities’ determination to prevent the protest from taking place, leaving the “Cockroach” movement’s call for more political space temporarily silenced.