India’s ‘cockroach’ protesters threaten new rallies over 100 arrests as Bihar orders detainees freed

India’s youth-led “cockroach” protest movement threatened on Monday to resume nationwide demonstrations unless authorities release people detained during rallies over examination failures, as Bihar police ordered protesters held in that state to be freed.

The online Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, said at least 100 people had been arrested across India, many under stringent non-bailable charges.

It said students had been detained particularly in Assam, West Bengal and Bihar.

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka accused authorities of reversing course after protesters were allegedly assured that no punitive action would be taken.

“If the government does not honour the agreement and release everyone detained or arrested, we will be compelled to resume the protest,” he told reporters.

India’s central government had not issued an official statement on the arrests, according to the supplied report.

Bihar police said late on Monday that “no adverse legal action” would be taken against any protester and announced the immediate release of those arrested or detained in the state in connection with the demonstrations.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the movement had established a legal fund to assist protesters facing criminal cases.

The demand came two days after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister following repeated failures in the administration of competitive examinations.

The CJP was launched in May by 30-year-old public relations graduate Abhijeet Dipke and has attracted millions of followers on social media.

Tens of thousands of protesters, mainly students, rallied in New Delhi and other cities last week, demanding Pradhan’s resignation and broader reform of the examination system.

Demonstrations in New Delhi turned violent on July 20 when large crowds attempted to march from the Jantar Mantar protest site towards parliament.

Police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse the protesters, leading to clashes and detentions.

In Bihar, a police officer was suspended after using an assault rifle to disperse student protesters in Siwan district on Saturday.

Police superintendent Puran Kumar Jha said three people injured in the incident were receiving treatment.

India’s chief justice called for an independent investigation after a petition was filed in the Supreme Court alleging police brutality.

Local media quoted Surya Kant as saying that the constitution guaranteed the right to peaceful and lawful protest and that any excess should be independently investigated.

The issue also disrupted parliament on Monday as opposition lawmakers demanded a government response to the police crackdown.

Despite the disruption, the government introduced legislation in the lower house seeking tougher penalties for examination paper leaks.