CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka and volunteers were detained in Guwahati ahead of a regional meet, with the party alleging police action blocked its programme.
Introduction
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenor and national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, along with several party leaders and volunteers, was detained by police in Guwahati on Sunday, September 27, 2026, shortly before the organisation's planned regional volunteers' meeting.
According to reports, Ranka and members of the CJP's central team had travelled to Guwahati for the party's first regional volunteers' meeting in the city. The CJP said the programme was part of its wider outreach across Assam and the Northeast.
Ashutosh Ranka and CJP Team Detained
Among those detained were Ranka and CJP East and Northeast zone in-charge Ankit Bhardwaj. The party said other members of its central team and Assam-based volunteers were also taken into custody before the meeting could begin.
The Week reported that around 30 CJP workers, including four central committee members, were detained. Another regional report later claimed that more than 40 CJP workers were detained, indicating that the reported number varied as information emerged during the day.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the party's leaders were taken to an unknown location and alleged that they had been prevented from holding a small volunteers' meeting. His claim was also reported by PTI and other news organisations.
Meeting Venue Was Changed
The CJP had initially planned the volunteers' meeting at Assam Shree Parshuram Seva Sadan on Kharga Choudhury Road in Athgaon.
According to NE Now, organisers later shifted the venue to Chowdhury Tilla, opposite the Assam Secretariat, alleging pressure on the original venue. The party said the meeting was ultimately disrupted before it could take place.
The planned programme was part of the CJP's efforts to connect with local volunteers and discuss issues in Assam and the wider Northeast.
CJP Planned School and Electoral Roll Outreach
The CJP delegation had planned several activities during its visit to Assam. These included meetings with local volunteers, visits to schools and interactions with families.
The party also intended to discuss concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. CJP leaders have said their Assam outreach would focus on education, local rights and other issues affecting communities in the state.
Before his detention, Ranka told reporters that the organisation wanted to visit schools and meet families to discuss the education system. He also said CJP volunteers from Assam had been involved with the movement at Delhi's Jantar Mantar from its early stages.
Ranka Targets Assam Government
While being taken away by police, Ranka criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and alleged that the state government was attempting to prevent the CJP from carrying out its activities.
Ranka also raised allegations concerning government schools, land, forests and water in Kaziranga. These were allegations made by Ranka and have not been independently established by the reports reviewed for this article.
Ranka further alleged that the previous Assembly election involved electoral manipulation, including the redrawing or sealing of constituency boundaries. These claims were presented as political allegations and were not accompanied by independent evidence in the reports cited here.
CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke Reacts
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the reported detentions and questioned the police action.
Dipke said that Ranka and other CJP members had travelled to Assam for a small volunteers' gathering and claimed that police prevented the programme from taking place. A post attributed to Dipke said Assam Police had detained Ranka and the CJP team and taken them to an unknown location.
What Assam Police Said
At the time of the reports published on September 27, there was no detailed official statement from Guwahati Police explaining the reasons for the detentions or confirming a definitive number of people taken into custody.
This means that several details surrounding the police action, including the precise number of detainees, the legal basis for the detentions and how long they were held, remained unclear in the available reporting.
Key Highlights
- CJP co-convenor and national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka was detained in Guwahati on September 27.
- CJP leader Ankit Bhardwaj was also reported to have been detained.
- Several other CJP leaders and volunteers were taken into custody.
- Reports differed on the total number detained, with figures ranging from around 30 to more than 40.
- The detention took place shortly before a planned regional volunteers' meeting.
- The CJP said its programme included volunteer meetings, school visits and discussions with families.
- The party also planned to raise issues connected with electoral-roll revision.
- CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the reported police action.
- Ranka made allegations against the Assam government while being taken away.
- A detailed official explanation from Guwahati Police was not available in the reports reviewed.
Professional Disclaimer & Third-Party Reference
This article is based on information reported by established third-party news organisations, including NDTV, PTI, The Times of India, The Week, The Tribune and regional news reports, published on September 27, 2026. Claims and allegations attributed to CJP leaders are presented as allegations and should not be treated as independently verified facts. Police-related details may change as an official statement or further information becomes available.
Conclusion
The detention of Ashutosh Ranka and other CJP members in Guwahati has brought attention to the party's planned expansion and outreach activities in Assam and the Northeast. While the CJP has criticised the police action, key details about the detentions and the official reasons for them remained unclear in reports available on September 27. Further clarification from Assam Police is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

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