Gandhi and several opposition leaders were taken into custody during a sit-in outside the prime minister s residence in New Delhi, organised to protest the government s handling of demonstrations demanding education reforms and greater accountability.
Police escorted Gandhi into a vehicle shortly after he called for the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the government s response to the protests.
According to Al Jazeera, those detained were taken to a nearby police station.
Pawan Khera, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, confirmed on social media that Gandhi had been forcibly detained. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi was also among those arrested.
Footage circulated by Indian media showed protesters attempting to shield Gandhi as police officers detained him while he was lying on the ground.
Al Jazeera correspondent Yashraj Sharma described the scene outside the prime minister s residence as chaotic, adding that later social media posts suggested Gandhi had sustained injuries during his detention.
The arrests came a day after police used tear gas, batons and canes to disperse thousands of demonstrators marching toward parliament, sparking widespread criticism and public sympathy for the protesters.
The "Cockroach" movement, which began as a student campaign against alleged irregularities in India s examination system, has rapidly expanded to include professionals, families and civil society groups, becoming one of the most significant public challenges to Modi s government in recent years.
Writing on social media, Gandhi accused the government of "destroying the future of India s youth" and criticised it for refusing to accept responsibility or allow a parliamentary debate on the issue.
Thousands of protesters gathered again on Tuesday at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi s designated protest site, under heavy police deployment, vowing to continue demonstrations until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
"We are going to continue our protest," said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, the satirical movement that emerged two months ago after a Supreme Court judge referred to India s youth as "cockroaches."
The movement gained further momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a three-week hunger strike in support of the campaign, was forcibly moved to a hospital by police over the weekend.
Videos showing police beating protesters and dragging them away spread widely on social media, fuelling public anger. The footage showed demonstrators pleading with officers while others remained in place despite repeated baton charges.
Delhi Police said nearly 180 people were injured during Monday s clashes, including 118 security personnel and 60 protesters.
Twenty-year-old student protester Sona Bisht said the police action had only strengthened the movement s resolve.
"If the government thinks that by doing this to Gen Z they can stop us, that won t happen. We are here talking about education and securing our future. Until our demands are met, we will not move from here," she said.
