India detains thousands of youth protesters as anger grows against Modi and election chief

Indian police mounted a major security operation in New Delhi on Saturday, detaining thousands of young protesters before a planned demonstration could get underway. Officers intercepted people heading to Jantar Mantar, the designated protest location, and took many to temporary holding facilities.

Authorities also set up vehicle checkpoints, barricaded the protest area and positioned anti-riot vehicles on key roads. Mobile internet restrictions and limits on access to parts of the city further complicated efforts to gather.

Three leaders of the “Cockroach” movement—Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka—were detained after arriving at Delhi airport from Mumbai. Opposition lawmakers and student activists were also held. Some demonstrators still passed police barriers and shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and election officials before being detained.

The protest concerns the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. Opposition parties say the process has removed eligible voters; protesters are calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and for the revision to stop. The article says more than 130 million names have been removed so far.

The police action renewed opposition accusations that the government is restricting dissent. The dispute could give the youth-led movement a wider platform, while its political effects remain uncertain. State elections next year in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat will test the BJP’s support; national elections are scheduled for 2029.