In the early hours of October 10, 2026, a team of about fifty police officers arrived at the residence of Dhruv Rathee in Sector 56, Gurugram. The officers took him into custody at approximately 7:48 a.m., before he could join a planned protest at Jantar Mantar. Rathee had only recently returned to India from Germany and had participated in a demonstration in Bengaluru on October 8, 2026. He had announced on social media that he intended to attend the Delhi rally on Saturday.
Multiple groups had called for a mass gathering at Jantar Mantar on October 10. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) organised a protest, while the Karo Chalo Janata Party (KCJP) and the All India Student Association (AISSA) demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over the electoral roll draft. Delhi police refused permission for the rally, citing security reasons, and said the denial was necessary to maintain law and order.
In a sweeping preventive move, Delhi police detained more than one thousand people overnight. Over four hundred individuals were held overnight, with roughly 250 coming from the southeast district and another 100 from Shahdara and East Delhi. KCJP leaders Abhijit Deep and Saurav Das were picked up at Indira Gandhi International Airport upon arrival from Mumbai. Also detained were CPI(M) lawyer Ratna Singh and content creator Kavya Karnataka from Dhaula Kuan. Police said the operation targeted those with a history of inciting unlawful assembly to prevent potential unrest at the protest site.
Six stadiums and community centres were earmarked as temporary detention camps to hold those arrested.
To back up the detentions, the central government dispatched over twenty thousand security personnel, including CRPF units, while another count puts the total police and paramilitary presence at thirty‑five thousand across the national capital. Authorities cancelled approximately 250 train services, closed forty‑five metro stations, and suspended internet access within a four‑kilometre radius around Jantar Mantar. Six stadiums and community centres were earmarked as temporary detention camps to hold those arrested.
The Cockroach Janata Party issued a clear call: “Dhruv Rathee should be released immediately,” demanding his freedom without any conditions. CPI(M) leaders likewise condemned the arrest and urged his immediate liberation. BJP national president Nitin Nabin accused opposition parties of trying to challenge democracy. Police officials defended the use of body‑worn cameras, stating they protect both officers and the public and provide evidence in cases of alleged misconduct.
Despite the detentions, the protest atmosphere remained tense, with heavy security continuing to occupy the area around Jantar Mantar. Dhruv Rathee’s online reach—about 1.92 crore Instagram followers, 33 lakh on X (formerly Twitter) and 3.3 crore YouTube subscribers—underscores why his arrest drew significant attention. No further information on his release or the outcome of the demonstrations is provided in the available material.