India releases 'cockroach' leaders as movement calls for more protests

The leaders of India's youth-led online "cockroach" movement have been released, their lawyer says, a day after they were detained to thwart a major protest against the election commissioner.

Thousands of protesters were detained before Saturday's planned demonstration in New Delhi, according to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which called on supporters to keep taking to the streets despite strict security measures.

Saturday's rally was meant to be the culmination of weeks of opposition mobilisation following allegations of misconduct during a nationwide voter roll revision, demanding the resignation of the head of the Election Commission of India.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and two other leaders were detained before they could disembark from their flight, after arriving in Delhi from Mumbai.

Ratna Singh, the CJP's head lawyer, said in a social media post on Sunday that Mr Dipke and the others had been released by an executive magistrate's court.

She said they had been released on the condition that they made "no breach of peace for one year".

Mr Dipke, wearing a white shirt, was driven away in a black vehicle soon after walking out of the court.

In a social media post soon after his release, Mr Dipke took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his administration.

"Modi, as PM, is an embarrassment to India," he said.

"Never has this country seen a bigger coward and bully."

Activist and social media influencer Dhruv Rathee, detained from his home, was also released.

Authorities mounted a sweeping security operation across the capital on Saturday, detaining thousands to prevent protesters from gathering at Delhi's Jantar Mantar protest site, the CJP and Indian media reports said.

Police have not commented on the detentions.

On Sunday, there were no signs of any major gathering of protesters around the Jantar Mantar site, despite calls from the CJP to march there.

Anger will grow, opposition leader says

Election authorities say the revision was aimed at eliminating duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries.

According to media reports, it resulted in more than 133 million names being removed from electoral lists.

Critics say the process has disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims, potentially benefiting Mr Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

The election commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing.

India's Supreme Court was set to hear a petition in a special sitting Sunday against the closure of Delhi metro stations and train services on Saturday.

The metro stations were opened Sunday but there was a huge security presence at exit and entry gates.

The CJP has won millions of followers on social media since it was launched by Mr Dipke in May as a satirical movement.

Protests organised by the CJP over exam irregularities in July forced the resignation of the education minister, marking a rare climbdown by Mr Modi's administration.

Saturday's detentions triggered sharp criticism and accusations that Mr Modi's government was stifling dissent.

In Geneva, the UN human rights office called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those "arbitrarily detained" in Delhi.

The CJP as well as opposition leader Rahul Gandhi have vowed to press ahead with protests despite the crackdown.

Mr Gandhi said his Congress party "and the youth of the country will once again take to the streets in large numbers" on Monday.