Following a surge in online attention surrounding the newly formed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police have deployed 24/7 security at the residence of party founder Abhijeet Dipke.
According to police officials, the deployment is intended to prevent crowds from gathering outside his home in the wake of the recent trend on social media.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Atulkar ruled out threat perception involved in the decision.
"The round-the-clock general protection to Abhijeet Dipke's residence is given to ensure there is no crowding at his place since the CJP issue is trending on social media right now," Atulkar told PTI.
He added that the decision was not triggered by any security threat. "No formal complaints of threats have been received at any police station under our jurisdiction," he said.
Driven by memes and sharp political commentary, the group has quickly gained traction online by targeting core youth issues, including systemic unemployment, exam leaks, and educational reforms.
Several political leaders have also commented on its formation, reflecting on the growing unrest among the country's youth and warning that the movement should not be suppressed.
Maharashtra Congress leaders have accused the ruling BJP of suppressing public dissent. They claimed that the government blocked social media accounts of the CJP after an Intelligence Bureau report warned of a potential public unrest.
The platform surfaced last week following a controversy over remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on "cockroaches" and "parasites" during a court hearing on the issue of 'senior' designation for a lawyer.
On Saturday, Dipke alleged that a sweeping crackdown on the digital movement, claiming that all its social media accounts and its website have been taken down or compromised, leaving the group without access to any of its official platforms.
Speaking to reporters, former state Congress chief Nana Patole said, "An IB report submitted to the prime minister informed that this issue could trigger unrest, and that it should be blocked. Based on that information, the decision was taken."
He further alleged that anger about the move had been growing for several days and warned it could intensify.