WATCH: Protesters Play Badminton At Sports Complex After Delhi Police Detention, Video Goes Viral

Delhi Police detained protesters demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over voter roll irregularities. A viral video showed activists playing badminton at a sports arena used as a detention centre, while the NSUI faced police action during its march to Jantar Mantar.

The Delhi Police continued the detention of protesters who were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of special intensive revision (SIR) in India’s capital on Saturday, October 17.

It was reported that 100 protesters, including members of the student unions, student activists, and political volunteers, were bundled into buses and transported to makeshift holding facilities. New Delhi has been witnessing massive protests over alleged irregularities in voter rolls.

The Delhi police officials and security forces have heavily barricaded the route to the Jantar Mantar, which has often been considered a designated protest venue in the national capital. Despite police allowing the demonstrators to continue their protest at Connaught Place, police later detained many of them as they attempted to gather and march.

Protesters’ Badminton Playing Video Goes Viral

On Saturday, the Delhi Police detained the protesters and boarded them onto the bus before taking them to Late Sh. Hemant Kumar Indoor Sports Arena, which is located in the city, to temporarily detain the demonstrators, as part of preventive custody measures across the national capital.

Since the protesters were awaiting formal release from the detention order, several young activists decided to pass the time by picking up racquets and playing badminton inside the indoor court.

In a video posted by one of the protesters, a group of men, who were in chappals and sandals, were seen playing badminton using racquets and shuttlecocks available at the facility. Since the indoor arena had sports equipment on hand, the detained activists made full use of the court to stay energized while waiting out the administrative procedures for their release.

The Delhi Police has reportedly used various sports facilities across the capital as temporary detention centers during mass demonstrations to avoid overcrowding standard police station holding cells.

The protest sites have witnessed widespread police crackdowns and strict security deployments over the past few weeks, with authorities enforcing prohibitory orders across key locations in the capital.

Demonstrations Continue Despite Mass Detentions and Heavy Barricading

The Delhi Police have heightened security across central Delhi, deploying personnel and erecting barricades to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar amid continuing demonstrations demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.

On Sunday, October 18, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) continued its demonstrations, as the Delhi Police thwarted the student group's planned 'Halla Bol March' towards Jantar Mantar and placed key student leaders, including NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar, under preventive custody.

According to reports, the march was stopped by heavy deployment of police forces, with NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar and several activists detained as the student organisation demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.

NSUI holds ‘Ungli Toh Uthegi - Hallabol March’ in New Delhi, seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Visuals from the march led by NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar, from the NSUI National Headquarters towards Jantar Mantar. https://t.co/SF1UpKrU8g

— Hemant Rajaura (@hemantrajora_) October 18, 2026

Meanwhile, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) co-founder Abhijeet Dipke has been released on conditional bail after signing an INR 50,000 peace bond, with a condition to maintain peace for one year. Other key members of the organisation, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, are in Tihar Jail, serving five days of judicial custody after their arrest on October 14.

With several protesters detained and CJP members still in judicial custody, the developments have drawn attention to the police action against demonstrators in the national capital.