India 'cockroach' leaders detained after entering barricaded protest site
The group said about 20 volunteers scaled barricades and entered the protest site to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- On Wednesday, a Special Executive Magistrate Court remanded Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to five days of judicial custody after their Tuesday arrest for allegedly trespassing at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
- The CJP had been protesting alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, following Jantar Mantar's de-notification as a protest venue.
- Authorities released fellow leader Ajinkya Shinde on a personal bond, while police charged Das and Ranka with trespass, unlawful assembly, and disobeying public orders after they scaled locked gates holding the Indian flag.
- "Despite these illegal actions, their spirits are high," said Ratna Singh, CJP's legal affairs head, noting authorities denied the leaders access to counsel until late Tuesday night at Parliament Street police station.
- These arrests occurred just days after Das and Ranka signed a peace bond regarding previous protests, as critics argue that shifting demonstrations away from central Delhi reduces the visibility of public dissent.
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170 Articles
India news: 'Cockroach' leaders sent to judicial custody
Three of India's Cockroach movement leaders will spend five days in jail over charges of trespassing into what was until recently a designated protest site. In other news, Marco Rubio is set to visit India. DW has more.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Two ‘cockroach’ leaders detained for five days for trespassing at Delhi protest site
This came a day after they scaled barricades to enter a historic site popular for protests and chanted slogans demanding the election chief's resignation
CJP Leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka Remanded To Judicial Custody
Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were remanded to five days of judicial custody on 14 October 2026 after being arrested for allegedly trespassing into the Jantar Mantar protest site in Delhi. The arrests followed the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue and were made under charges including trespass, violation of a peace bond, and obstruction of a public official’s duty. Ajinkya Shinde, another…
berlingske.dk
A few days after they were last detained, two leaders of the Indian Cockroach Movement have been imprisoned.
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