Indian police detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several other opposition figures on Tuesday during a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, as student-led anti-government protests continued to spread despite an intensified crackdown by authorities, AzerNEWS reports.
The demonstration was organized in response to the government’s handling of the ongoing student movement, known as the “Cockroach” protests, which has called for education reforms and greater government accountability.
Before being taken into custody, Gandhi called for the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing them of responsibility for the authorities’ response to the protests.
According to local media and eyewitnesses, police forcibly removed Gandhi from the protest site and placed him in a police vehicle after protesters attempted to shield him from arrest. Those detained were subsequently taken to a nearby police station.
Pawan Khera, a senior member of Gandhi’s Indian National Congress party, confirmed that the opposition leader had been detained by police. He added that Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’s sister, was also among those arrested during the protest.
The arrests come amid mounting political tensions as demonstrations led by students continue across several parts of India, with protesters demanding sweeping reforms to the education system and increased accountability from the government over its handling of the unrest.