Ashutosh Ranka was detained by Assam Police in Guwahati on Sunday along with several Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders and volunteers, according to reports and CJP statements. The detentions came shortly before the group’s first regional volunteers’ meeting in Assam.
The CJP has demanded the immediate release of Ranka and the other detained members. However, the exact number of people detained and the legal grounds for the police action remained unclear in reports available on September 27. Assam Police had not issued a detailed public response at publication.
Ashutosh Ranka detained before CJP meeting
Ranka, the CJP’s co-convenor and chief spokesperson, reached Guwahati ahead of the planned gathering. Police detained him and other participants before the meeting could proceed, multiple reports said. The Week reported that about 30 CJP workers, including four central committee members, were detained.
Other reports put the figure higher. NE NOW reported that more than 40 workers were detained, while another report said the party claimed around 50 people had been taken into custody. Those figures could not be independently verified.
Detainees included CJP members from Assam and participants from Nagaland. NE NOW identified several, including Khargeswar Milli, Sheikh Sahiluddin Shah, Hitesh Barua, Mintu Das and Tommy Barua.
CJP demands Ashutosh Ranka release
The CJP said police action prevented its volunteers’ meeting from taking place. The organisation demanded Ranka’s immediate release and an explanation from authorities.
The meeting was initially scheduled for 10 am at Assam Shree Parshuram Seva Sadan on Kharga Choudhury Road in Athgaon. Organisers later shifted it to Chowdhury Tila, opposite the Assam Secretariat, after alleging pressure on the original venue to cancel the booking.
CJP accounts also said police blocked access to the revised venue. The party further alleged that lawyers were unable to meet some detainees. These claims have not been independently established.
Ashutosh Ranka raises schools and electoral rolls
Before his detention, Ranka said the CJP planned to examine government schools and meet families affected by the revision of electoral rolls in Assam. The group has recently sought to expand its activities in the state and other parts of the Northeast.
Ranka also made allegations concerning land, forests and water around Kaziranga and questioned aspects of the electoral roll revision. Those allegations remain claims by the CJP and have not been established as facts by the reports reviewed.
The CJP also met Raijor Dal leaders, including Akhil Gogoi, a day before the reported detentions. The discussions reportedly covered the Assam floods and CJP activities in the state.
Police response remains awaited
The main unanswered issue is why police detained Ranka and the other participants. Reports published on Sunday said Guwahati Police had not provided a detailed explanation or confirmed the number of people in custody.
The distinction matters because the CJP has described the gathering as peaceful, while the legal basis for the detentions has not been publicly established in the available reports. Therefore, claims about the purpose or motivation behind the action should be treated as allegations unless supported by an official account or further evidence.
The reported detention also occurred as the CJP worked to establish a volunteer network in Assam. The organisation says it will focus on education, electoral-roll issues and local concerns.
Ashutosh Ranka detention puts focus on next steps
For now, the CJP is seeking the release of Ashutosh Ranka and the other detained volunteers. It has also called for clarity about the police action and circumstances surrounding the detentions.
Meanwhile, the absence of a detailed police account leaves questions open, including the number of people detained, where they were taken and whether formal cases or preventive measures were initiated. Further statements from Assam Police could clarify those issues.
The episode comes as CJP expands its presence in Assam. Consequently, the next official update on the detentions will clarify the immediate legal and political context of the dispute.