'Cockroach' party leaders sent to five days in judicial custody Boat capsizes in state of Bihar killing at least 13, mostly children US Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to visit India next week Here are the top headlines from India on Wednesday, October 14 Several students' organizations and political parties are protesting against India's election chief Activists of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Wednesday tried to march toward the former designated protest venue of Jantar Mantar in central Delhi. However, they were stopped by authorities at barricades.

Students of the leftist organizations raised Slogan such as "reclaim Jantar Mantar" and "Gyanesh Kumar must resign," refering to the Chief Election Commissioner of India who is facinf mass Protests over allegations of misconduct.

Calls to 'reclaim' Jantar Mantar are emerging from several fronts, youth organizations and political parties alike Calls to reclaim Jantar Mantar came two days after Delhi Police delisted the centrally-located grounds as a designated protest site.

An Air India Aircraft flying from Frankfurt to Delhi was diverted to the Indian city of Jaipur on Wednesday, following a bomb threat, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The Boeing aircraft made an emergency landing at the Jaipur International Airport and was immediately escorted to a designated isolation bay. Airport authorities alerted the police about the emergency landing and the bomb threat.

Meanwhile, Indian media reported that the airplane's pilot issued the emergency code of '7500,' the internationally recognized aviation code for hijacking or unlawful interference. The aircraft has since been cleared. India's aviation regulator is currently probing the incident, Hindustan Times reported citing sources.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit India's western cities of Mumbai and Jamnagar next week to meet with senior government officials, in what will be his second official visit to the country this year.

Rubio and Indian officials will discuss strengthening the US-India strategic partnership, prospects for enhanced energy cooperation, and exchange views on regional and global dynamics, the US Department of State said in a media note.

"Secretary Rubio will also meet with business leaders to promote opportunities for commercial investment and economic cooperation," it said.

Mumbai, a coastal city in the western state of Maharashtra is India's financial capital while Jamnagar is an industrial City in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.

Ties between New Delhi and Washington have been rocky since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House, over issues including his repeated claim of brokering an India-Pakistan ceasefire and a US military attack on a ship off Oman that killed three Indian seafarers.

New Delhi has also raised concerns over US legislation allowing Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that purchase Russian energy, part of Washington's efforts to pressure Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Can Trump’s diesel deal bring down US fuel prices?

To view this video , and Indian Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the arrest of Cockroach Janta Party leader Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for allegedly trespassing into the the delisted protest site of Jantar Mantar a day ago.

"Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice," he said in a post on X, reacting to the news of the duo being sent to judicial custody for five days. "Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it," he said.

Protesters have alleged police brutality and arbitrary detention India's Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) may have anticipated pushback from the government after its first round of protests in July, but the scale of barricading and detentions that greeted its leaders in a fortress-like New Delhi on October 10 was unlike anything they had anticipated.

Thousands detained, leaders arrested on arrival, and a capital under lockdown: The youth-led protests against the election chief have the attention of the Indian government. But experts say toppling it is another matter. AI-generated women are being inserted into real footage of CJP protests in India.

Some accounts used the fakes to promote paid explicit content, while others shared them to mock protesters and question their credibility.

A boat capsized in the river Ganges in the eastern state of Bihar, drowning at least 13 people, authorities said on Wednesday.

News agency Press Trust of India reported that all of the deceased were children under the age of 15. At least six others on board were rescued.

The boat overturned on Tuesday night while carrying passengers to a feast in a neighboring village across the river, authorities told local media. Rescue operators have retrieved the vessel and are conducting an investigation.

Several regional and national leaders expressed their grief over the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it was "deeply painful," offering his condolences to the bereaved families.

"I pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured. The local administration is assisting those affected," Modi said through his office's account on Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said the News was "heartbreaking and soul-wrenching."

"Instructions have been given to the administration to swiftly complete relief and rescue operations and ensure better treatment for the injured," he said in a post. Boat accidents are a common occurrence in India where safety measures are deficient.

For decades, a stretch of road leading up to Jantar Mantar has been where Indians came to be heard, press their demands and hold those in power accountable [FILE: May 28, 2023] Jantar Mantar, in central Delhi, is an 18th century open-air astronomical observatory.

For over three decades, a stretch of road leading up to it was where Indians came to be heard, press their demands and hold those in power accountable. That was until last week when the Delhi Police delisted the iconic venue as a protest site. What sparked the latest protests?

The move came days after a confrontation between thousands of police personnel and anti-government protesters led by India's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Police reportedly detained thousands of protesters and even reporters on duty last week The group, along with student organizations and activists, mobilized thousands to protest against a revision in electoral rolls which reportedly deleted 130 million voters.

While those deleted include dead and duplicate voters, critics argue the staggering number likely includes a vast number of eligible voters. India's poll body and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party party have denied this.

Jantar Mantar has been the central rallying location for protesters demanding election Chief Gyanesh Kumar's resignation for overseeing the revision.

This is the same location that acted as a home base for the CJP-led youth protests in July over an exam scandal, which resulted in the removal of India's former education minister. Why is delisting Jantar Mantar controversial?

Now, instead of Jantar Mantar, authorities have designated three alternative venues in Delhi. Campaigners argue those venues will reduce visibility and proximity to lawmakers as Jantar Mantar was surrounded by the nation's biggest institutions.

"Jantar Mantar is in the centre of the town, it is connected, it is next to parliament... it was a very important space for all protests," human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi told AFP. "This is nothing but a move to curb dissent," he said.

CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were among about a dozen people who jumped barricades on Tuesday to enter the grounds of Jantar Mantar, despite the delisting a day earlier.

An Indian court has now sent Das and Ranka to five days in judicial custody over trespassing and other violations.

Left-wing All India Students' Association (AISA) on Wednesday demanded the "immediate release" of Cockroach movement conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after the duo were sent to judicial custody over trespassing amid protests.

"Tihar Jail for raising the Tricolor at Jantar Mantar?" the organization questioned in a post on X, adding that they stood in solidarity with the political pressure Group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

AISA is one among several groups and opposition parties protesting in India's national capital against India's election chief Gyanesh Kumar.

AISA's National President Neha Bora has been at the forefront of the recent protests which saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling government deploy thousands of police and rapid action forces to detain protesters.

Three leaders of India's Cockroach movement — Co-Conveners Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and organizer Ajinkya Shinde — have been formally charged with multiple violations by authorities in India's national capital.

It all comes amid their protest against India's election chief over mass deletion of voter names from electoral rolls.

Indian authorities crack down on 'Cockroach' protest The trio was detained early Tuesday after they allegedly "sneaked" past police barricades to enter the grounds of Jantar Mantar in central Delhi, which until recently was a designated protest site.

News agency PTI, citing sources, reported that police have now formally charged them with trespassing, violation of prohibitory orders, breach of a peace bond and obstructing a public servant from discharging officials duties.

Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party's Founder Abhijeet Dipke said Das and Ranka had been "sent to five days judicial custody." "Their fault? Unfurling tricolor at Jantar Mantar," Dipke wrote on X on Wednesday morning, referring to the national flag. "Show some guts, Narendra Modi.

If you're so determined to crush dissent, have the courage to officially declare an Emergency instead of hiding behind these cowardly tactics," he said.

Dipke's post suggests the trio have already been produced in front of a magistrate. Under Indian law, a person arrested by police has to appear in court within 24 hours of the arrest. One can only be sent to judicial remand by a judge.

Defending advocate accuses police of making false claims in court Advocate Abhisht Hela, who is representing Das and Ranka, questioned the grounds for sending the two into judicial remand and accused the police of making false claims in court, Times of India reported.

"They have been sent to five-day judicial custody because of the presumption of the police that they can commit a crime. Police lied in court that they had given a call urging people to come there," Hela said, adding that no such call was made.

Meanwhile, Shinde, who seems to have been released, told reporters that the government was misusing its powers to curtail people's rights. "If the government thinks that sending our two leaders, Ashutosh and Saurav, to jail for five days will frighten them, it is absolutely mistaken," Shinde said, as per PTI.

He further called on "everyone" to "come together to bring an end to this dictatorial government." Good morning and welcome to DW's India blog.

This is Mahima Kapoor from Studio Delhi, ready to bring you the latest updates from India. The country has seen massive protests over reports of misconduct and pro-government bias by India's election chief. Mass detentions have followed in response to the demonstrations.

Leaders of India's Cockroach movement are facing formal charges after they "sneaked" into the Jantar Mantar grounds in central Delhi, which until recently was a designated protest site. Two of the Cockroach Janta Party conveners have been sent to five days in jail over charges of trespassing and obstructing official duties.

In other news, a boat on river Ganges capsized in India's eastern state of Bihar, killing at least 13 people. Most of the dead were children. Rescue operations are reportedly still ongoing.

On the international front, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit India next week to strengthen "strategic partnership" and discuss "enhanced energy cooperation." This will be Rubio's to India this year. Stay tuned as it's likely to be a news-heavy day.