Goa police on Sunday (October 11, 2026) detained several protesters who were heading to the Cockroach Janta party’s agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, cracking down on them before the demonstration could even begin.
Authorities rounded up dozens of demonstrators as they arrived at Azad Maidan, and stopped senior figures, including former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdin Rebello, from entering the venue and forcing the protest onto the adjacent main road. Several protesters, including CJP leader Amreen Shaikh, were taken into custody. Demonstrators spilt onto the streets outside the Goa Police headquarters after police stopped them from entering the venue. Veteran lawyers Claud and Norma Alvares, former chief justice of Allahabad High Court Justice Ferdin Rebello, activists Swapnesh Sherlekar and Govind Shirodkar were stopped from entering the Azad Maidan in presence of Superintendent of Police (North) Harish Madkaikar.
