India's Supreme Court orders release of minors arrested in Cockroach protests

India's Supreme Court has ordered the release of minors arrested during the "Cockroach" youth protests. The demonstrations, sparked by leaked medical exam papers and high unemployment, led to the resignation of the education minister. In response to petitions alleging police brutality, the court also barred coercive action and ordered surveillance footage preserved after authorities used batons, tear gas, and AI-powered monitoring against protesters.

Cockroach Janta Party protests

• ▪The "Cockroach" movement name was adopted after India's Chief Justice, Surya Kant, referred to unemployed youth as "cockroaches."
• ▪Protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were triggered by the leak of question papers for a national medical college entrance exam
• ▪The protests' use of Gen Z slang like "delulu" and "FOMO" was later adopted by politicians during a parliamentary debate
• ▪The CJP was founded as a satirical Instagram page by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old Indian public relations graduate in Boston
• ▪The protests, which drew hundreds of thousands of participants, led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Education examination scandals

• ▪More than two million students took the medical entrance exam that was scrapped due to paper leaks, forcing them to retake it
• ▪The protests tapped into broader frustrations, as 40% of India's university graduates under the age of 25 are unemployed
• ▪Following the protests, the Indian government introduced a new bill in parliament seeking tougher penalties for examination paper leaks
• ▪At least 22 students died by suicide this year due to the exam leaks

Police violence at demonstrations

• ▪A police officer in Bihar was suspended for firing an assault rifle in the air to disperse student protesters
• ▪Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, stated in court that about 250 police officers were also injured during the protests
• ▪Police used batons, tear gas, and pellet guns against demonstrators in New Delhi, particularly on July 20 when crowds tried to march on parliament

Facial recognition surveillance systems

• ▪The Indian government used a mobile surveillance van with AI-powered cameras on a telescopic mast to monitor protesters
• ▪Student activist Aishe Ghosh filed a case in the Delhi High Court to declare the mass surveillance of protesters unconstitutional
• ▪The government defended the surveillance as legal and necessary for law and order, while police were also seen noting protesters' Instagram handles

Minor student arrests

• ▪The Cockroach Janta Party reported that "hundreds" of students had been arrested across various states, including Delhi, Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar
• ▪In the state of Bihar, 694 protesters were reportedly arrested, about half of whom were minors

Supreme Court ordered releases

• ▪On July 28, 2026, India's Supreme Court ordered the release of all arrested protesters who are under 18 years old
• ▪The court's orders were in response to petitions from protesters and activists alleging the use of excess force and police brutality
• ▪The Supreme Court also ordered authorities to preserve all surveillance footage and barred them from taking any coercive action against protesters