New Delhi: Delhi Police on Saturday detained six individuals as a preventive measure after receiving intelligence inputs about a possible confrontation between rival groups during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar.

The protest, led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, drew hundreds of students and young professionals demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes.

Participants gathered carrying flowers and wearing cockroach masks, symbols associated with the movement.

According to officials, the six individuals were taken into preventive custody near the protest site after police assessed a risk of tensions between supporters and opponents of the campaign.

Protesters back Sonam Wangchuk

Activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar later in the day, drawing loud cheers from demonstrators.

Protesters raised slogans demanding that Wangchuk be made the country's education minister, while reiterating their call for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged examination and recruitment irregularities.

Authorities said the action was aimed at ensuring the demonstration remained peaceful and preventing any law-and-order situation.

Right-wing elements shout 'Jai Shri Ram' to deter protest

Police sources said some of the detained individuals were part of a fringe right-wing group that allegedly attempted to disrupt the gathering by raising slogans, including "Jai Shri Ram", near the protest venue.

Officials said the group was removed from the area after concerns emerged that their presence could trigger a confrontation with protesters.

Despite the brief disruption, the situation remained under control and no untoward incidents were reported. The protest continued peacefully under tight security arrangements.

More than 1,000 police personnel were deployed across the New Delhi district and other sensitive locations, while additional security measures were put in place at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and border entry points.

Barricades were erected around Jantar Mantar to regulate crowd movement and prevent interaction between rival groups.

The CJP has emerged as a youth-driven movement protesting alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes, including NEET, CUET, CBSE-related examinations and SSC recruitment tests.

The campaign has gained significant traction on social media in recent weeks, with supporters demanding greater transparency and accountability in the conduct of examinations and recruitment procedures.

Senior police officials monitored the situation throughout the day and said the preventive detentions were carried out solely to maintain public order and ensure the protest concluded without incident.