Journalists Detained During CJP Protest In Delhi Despite Showing Press Cards
Police detained reporters from independent and mainstream outlets and seized phones as protests over election chief Gyanesh Kumar drew a crackdown, journalists said.
- On Saturday, October 10, 2026, Delhi Police detained at least 12 journalists covering a Cockroach Janta Party protest in Delhi, despite reporters prominently displaying their press identification cards.
- Protesters demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, opposing a controversial voter roll revision that removed 130 million names from electoral lists.
- Security forces deployed more than 20,000 police and paramilitary personnel across Delhi, while reporters described a two-tier system allowing legacy media access but barring independent journalists from the protest site.
- The DIGIPUB News India Foundation demanded immediate release of those detained, as journalists reported being forced onto police buses and having phones snatched despite identifying themselves as press.
- India ranks 157th out of 180 countries in the latest Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, raising concerns for journalist safety ahead of the 2029 federal elections.
10 Articles
10 Articles
The Independent
The Independent (US)Crackdown on journalists covering protests sets a dangerous precedent in India
In nearly a decade as a reporter in India, Alisha Rahaman Sarkar writes, she’s never seen anything like the crackdown on journalists doing their duty of covering the ‘cockroach’ demonstrations in the heart of the capital
“Koi media nahi hai”: Inside the Delhi police’s October 10 crackdown on journalists
Several journalists were stopped from doing their work and detained in Delhi on October 10. They were dragged by their clothes, pushed and manhandled, their phones snatched, and pressured to delete footage of police action. Some were picked up kilometres away from the protest site; others were detained despite wearing press ID cards and repeatedly identifying themselves as journalists.The sweeping crackdown on reporters from both independent and…
Delhi's detention buses took all, CJP protesters, journalists, even office workers
CJP Protests Delhi: As Delhi Police detained protesters in central Delhi, journalists with visible press IDs were also put on buses and taken away from the site. The day laid bare how access for the media and movement for ordinary people alike remained precarious amid barricades, shutdowns and heavy deployment.
Delhi police detained media persons covering protest at Connaught Place, including journalists from Asianet News and 24 News, despite no disturbance reported.
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