India cracks down on youth protests as anger grows against Modi and election chief

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian authorities deployed a sweeping security crackdown across New Delhi and detained thousands of protesters Saturday as India's youth “Cockroach” movement sought to intensify a nationwide campaign against a contentious voter list revision that has fueled anger at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government and election authorities.Police intercepted demonstrators before they could reach Jantar Mantar, the designated protest site in the heart of India's capital, chasing off some and detaining many others. Some were dragged away before being bundled into police vehicles and taken to temporary detention centers. Several “Cockroach” movement leaders were detained before arriving, effectively crippling the protest ahead of its start.The crackdown extended beyond the protest venue, with police stopping buses, cars and other vehicles at checkpoints on routes into the capital and searching for demonstrators.Jantar Mantar was barricaded, while anti-riot vehicles equipped with tear gas launchers were stationed along key routes.

Restrictions on mobile internet and access to parts of the city added to the hurdles facing protesters.Police said Friday they had denied permission for the protest because the request was submitted late.The scale of the crackdown underscored the authorities’ determination to disrupt a fast-growing protest campaign that has mobilized thousands of young people, drawn opposition support and intensified scrutiny of Modi. The protests also come at a politically sensitive time, months after demonstrations led by the “Cockroach” movement over exam paper leaks forced Modi’s education minister to resign in July.Police detain leaders and tighten grip around protest siteLeaders of the “Cockroach” movement Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were expected to be at the forefront of the protest, were detained after arriving at Delhi airport from Mumbai on Saturday. A video shared by the “Cockroach Janta Party” on X showed police boarding the aircraft and detaining the three men.“The pre-planned interception by Delhi Police aims to cripple the leadership of today’s peaceful demonstrations before they even reach the protest site,” the movement said in a statement.Loudspeakers around the protest site warned that gatherings of five or more people were banned in parts of New Delhi, as authorities imposed sweep…

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s youth “Cockroach” movement was set to hold fresh protests in the capital New Delhi on Saturday, intensifying a nationwide campaign against a contentious voter list revision that has fueled anger at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and election authorities. Thousands of protesters are expected at Jantar Mantar, the city’s designated protest site, where authorities have imposed sweeping restrictions including suspension of mobile internet. Police said Friday they had denied permission for the protest because the request was submitted late.

The demonstration site has been cordoned off with yellow metal barricades and thousands of police personnel have been deployed in and around the area. Restrictions on train services and metro stations were expected to disrupt travel across the capital and make it harder for protesters to reach the venue. The preparations signal the authorities’ determination to contain a fast-growing protest campaign that has mobilized thousands of young people, drawn opposition support and intensified scrutiny of Modi.

Police detain some demonstrators heading to protest site The police moved to intercept protesters before they could reach the protest site, chasing some away and detaining others. Those detained were bundled into police vehicles and driven away. At entry points to central New Delhi, officers stopped buses, cars and other vehicles, boarding them to search for people headed to the demonstrations.

Anti-riot vehicles equipped with tear gas launchers stood along key routes. Journalists also faced restrictions in some areas while trying to cover the demonstration. “We are a democracy, yet peaceful protests are being crushed by force.