India, Oct. 11 -- About 41,000 security personnel turned the Capital into a fortress on Saturday to thwart a planned protest demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, launching an unprecedented clampdown that saw the detention of 7,000 people and left large chunks of Delhi deserted.

Four former chief ministers and the leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) - a satirical movement that forced the resignation of the education minister three months ago - were among those detained as police cracked down on students, lawyers and politicians, successfully refusing passage to Jantar Mantar. Yet, sporadic protests bubbled up at different points of the city throughout the day, even as police rushed to smother the ...