India detains top 'cockroach' leaders after flash protest

India's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led political movement, reported on Tuesday that its top leaders were detained after entering a prohibited protest site in New Delhi. The site, Jantar Mantar, is typically designated for official protests but was recently blocked by police following days of demonstrations demanding the resignation of the head of India's election commission.

Opposition parties and supporters of the movement have been defying a security crackdown to protest against the Election Commission of India, accusing it of manipulating voter rolls to favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. The Election Commission has refuted these claims. The Delhi Police announced on Monday that Jantar Mantar had been removed from the list of authorized protest locations, and it has been sealed off with yellow barricades and a heavy police presence.

CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke shared a video on Tuesday showing protesters scaling the barricades, entering the area, and waving the national flag before being pursued and apprehended by authorities. In a social media post, the group claimed that those arrested included leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and Ajinkya Shinde.