Delhi protest: Stopped at police barricades, daily wage workers lose daily earnings

Several daily wage laborers lost their daily earnings when they were turned away at security checkpoints by the Delhi Police on Saturday morning while on their way to their workplace in central Delhi.

Watch for updates on the Delhi protest on October 10, 2026.

As Delhi turned into a fortress ahead of a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, security forces erected several layers of barricades on roads leading to central Delhi. At the barricades, mostly only people with government IDs were allowed to proceed towards central Delhi.

WATCH | Ram Kishan, a construction worker from Bihar who faces loss of daily earnings

Around 9:30 am, Ram Kishan Mandal, 36, was among a group of daily wage workers employed at a construction site in central Delhi who were stopped by Delhi Police at a barricade leading to India Gate in central Delhi. “The police say we don’t have permission to proceed. We tried calling our employer who asked us to walk to the site but they wouldn’t let us,” he said.

Mr Mandal, who hails from Bihar’s Katihar district, said his house was destroyed in the recent flood in the state and his wife and children were living in a makeshift house with a tarpaulin roof. “If we earn anything, then only I will be able to rebuild my house,” he said. “If we don’t work, we will lose today’s wages. What will we eat for two days?”

At another such barricade near Nizamuddin, the police turned away another group of daily wage workers. “We are working on a construction site just behind the overpass, but the police won’t let us go,” said one of the workers, pointing to the overpass about 50 meters away.

Daily wage workers turn away at a barricade on the road leading to India Gate on October 10, 2026. Photo credit: Nikhil M. Babu

Mukesh Chauhan, 47, who works as an electrician at a central Delhi site, was also stopped at the Nizamuddin barricade while he was about to work on his motorcycle. “If I don’t go, I won’t get paid for that day. But (the police) won’t let me go. I only earn about ₹9,000 a month. People like us should be allowed to go. If I don’t work today, I will also lose ₹100 that I spent on petrol for travel,” he said.

Devender Chauhan, 41, on a scooter along with his wife was stopped at the barricade. “She works in a cafe in central Delhi. Look at her uniform; it has the company’s name written on it, but they won’t let us in,” he said.

“The advertising company in Khan Market where I work is asking me to go and open the shop. The master key is with me. Now they are saying don’t work today. I checked other roads too, everything is closed,” said Mr Chauhan.

After several requests, Mr. Chauhan’s wife finally got permission from one of the police officers to walk to her workplace, about 2 km away.

“The last time Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, Khan Market was barricaded from all sides and we were not even allowed to leave. We had to wait for about two hours,” he added, referring to the June and July protest at Jantar Mantar by the CJP and other student unions.

CITU (Delhi) secretary PV Aniyan said daily wage and gig workers in central Delhi and adjoining areas were worst affected by the government crackdown. “Their daily earnings have been completely affected. Before enforcing such a blockade in Delhi, the government should think about its implications,” he said.

Published – 10 October 2026 13:20 IST