India News Live Updates, 16 October 2026: CJP’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march today amid police curbs, Connaught Place shut
The New Delhi Municipal Council has announced that Central Park will remain closed to the public on October 16 and 17 for administrative reasons.
· The Indian Express · JoinThe Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called for a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march today at Central Park in Connaught Place at 5 pm, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police has urged people to stay away from the gathering, saying prohibitory orders are in force in Connaught Place and nearby areas. Police said it could allow a select group to wave the national flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable location.
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Places shut today: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has announced that Central Park will remain closed to the public on October 16 and 17 for administrative reasons. It has also sought security arrangements to prevent unauthorised entry into the park. Affected stretches include Sansad Marg, Janpath, Barakhamba Road, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Tilak Marg, Mandi House and Ashok Road, among others. Delhi Police has stepped up security in Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar, with personnel deployed at strategic locations and barricades likely to regulate the movement of protesters and commuters. The police have warned of legal action against those who violate prohibitory orders. The police have said demonstrations can be held at Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground or CBD Ground after obtaining the required permission. To which CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke responded, questioning, “If we announce 100 places, will Narendra Modi shut down all 100 places?… Why does Delhi Police have a problem with waving the Tiranga?”
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Why is CJP holding the march today? The march comes after a standoff between the CJP and Delhi Police after party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to 5 days of judicial custody for entering Jantar Mantar and raising slogans demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The arrests came after Jantar Mantar was no longer allowed to be used as a designated protest site. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has urged political parties and civil society groups to set aside ideological differences and join the campaign, alleging irregularities in electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision. “Tonight or tomorrow morning, the Delhi Police people can pick me up. If one has to go to jail for waving the tricolour in this country, then we are ready for it,” Dipke said while addressing press conference.
Live Updates
Oct 16, 2026 09:14 AM IST
Traffic curbs in central Delhi today
Commuters in central Delhi are likely to face disruptions, with the Delhi Traffic Police warning of restrictions on key roads in and around Connaught Place from 3 pm, ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) proposed 'Tiranga' march at Central Park.
Affected stretches include Sansad Marg, Janpath, Barakhamba Road, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Tilak Marg, Mandi House and Ashok Road, among others. Police said diversions will be put in place as the situation demands and urged commuters to allow extra travel time and use public transport. (PTI)
Oct 16, 2026 09:00 AM IST
CJP founder alleges police dragnet ahead of protest, says white Scorpio trailing him
On the morning of the protest, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged in a social media post that he was being kept under constant watch. “The place I am staying at has been surrounded by undercover cops from all sides. These people are keeping me under constant surveillance,” he wrote, adding that a white Scorpio had been following him everywhere. Security personnel have been deployed in and around the protest area to maintain law and order.
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Oct 16, 2026 08:55 AM IST
'If one has to go to jail for waving the tricolour, we are ready': CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke
Addressing a press conference at Jhandewalan late Thursday, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke said he expected to be detained by the Delhi Police “tonight or tomorrow morning”, but declared that his party was ready to go to jail for waving the tricolour. Recalling the party’s earlier protest call for October 10, Dipke alleged that authorities had shut down buses, metros, railways and the internet across Delhi and put up barricades. He said the party had now announced it would wave the tricolour on October 16.
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Oct 16, 2026 08:30 AM IST
NSUI workers detained after protest outside Parliament Street police station
Several National Students' Union of India (NSUI) workers were detained early morning after they staged a protest outside the Parliament Street Police Station, demanding that FIRs be registered against police personnel accused of assaulting women members of the student body. Police took the protesters into custody as the demonstration continued outside the station.
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Oct 16, 2026 08:27 AM IST
Youth Congress protests outside Parliament Street police station
Members of the Indian Youth Congress were seen protesting outside the Parliament Street Police Station in Delhi around 4.15 am today. The protesters demanded FIRs against police personnel who allegedly assaulted NSUI women members.
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Oct 16, 2026 08:19 AM IST
Delhi traffic likely to be affected today amid CJP protest
Traffic movement in and around Connaught Place is likely to be affected from 3 pm today due to a proposed gathering by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Central Park. Central Park will remain closed to the public on October 16 and 17 for administrative reasons, while prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS remain in force in the area. The court was hearing a plea by a licensed street vendor at Palika Bazar who feared the gathering could disrupt business.
Oct 16, 2026 08:15 AM IST
Delhi on alert ahead of CJP protest
More than 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across New Delhi and nearby areas ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march. CCTV cameras have been installed at Connaught Place’s Central Park and Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, while prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS remain in force. Click here
Oct 16, 2026 08:12 AM IST
Why is CJP holding the march today?
The march comes after a standoff between the CJP and Delhi Police after party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to 5 days of judicial custody for entering Jantar Mantar and raising slogans demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The arrests came after Jantar Mantar was no longer allowed to be used as a designated protest site. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has urged political parties and civil society groups to set aside ideological differences and join the campaign, alleging irregularities in electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision. “Tonight or tomorrow morning, the Delhi Police people can pick me up. If one has to go to jail for waving the tricolour in this country, then we are ready for it,” Dipke said while addressing press conference.
Oct 16, 2026 08:10 AM IST
Places shut in Delhi today
The New Delhi Municipal Council Thursday announced that the Central Park in Connaught Place will remain shut to the public on October 16 and 17 “due to administrative reasons”.
The Delhi Police also informed the Delhi High Court that action will be taken against the CJP after a petition raised concerns that the group’s planned protest in Connaught Place could disrupt business activity in the area. Read
Oct 16, 2026 08:07 AM IST
CJP’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march today
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called for a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march today at Central Park in Connaught Place at 5 pm, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police has urged people to stay away from the gathering, saying prohibitory orders are in force in Connaught Place and nearby areas. Police said it could allow a select group to wave the national flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable location.
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