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(https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/todayinfocus) Today in Focus  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/india) India       India’s cockroach protesters defy Modi’s crackdown – The Latest   A fresh wave of protests by India’s youth-led Cockroach movement has been met with a brutal crackdown by Narendra Modi’s government and the closure of a historic protest site in Delhi. Two of the movement’s leaders have been imprisoned for five days for violating suppression measures. The protests, which began over frustration about education and unemployment, are now focused on voting rights. Modi’s government denies claims it is seeking to disenfranchise millions of voters. But its treatment of protesters has been criticised by the UN and Amnesty International and raised concerns that India is sliding further into autocracy. Lucy Hough speaks to South Asia correspondent Hannah Ellis-Petersen –  (https://www.youtube.com/@todayinfocuspodcast) watch on YouTube         (Today in Focus)           More ways to listen (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/today-in-focus/id1440133626?mt=2) Apple podcasts         (https://open.spotify.com/show/2cSQmzYnf6LyrN0Mi6E64p) Spotify     (https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/todayinfocus/podcast.xml) RSS Feed  (../../../../../../audio.guim.co.uk/2026/10/14-56698-1410cockroaches.mp3) Download         Presented by  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lucy-hough) Lucy Hough with  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/hannah-ellis-petersen) Hannah Ellis-Petersen ; produced by  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/angus-neale) Angus Neale ; senior producer  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ryan-ramgobin) Ryan Ramgobin ; executive producer  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/zoe-hitch) Zoe Hitch   Wed 14 Oct 2026 13.40 EDT  First published on Wed 14 Oct 2026 11.45 EDT   (mailto:?subject=India’s cockroach protesters defy Modi’s crackdown – The Latest&body=https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2026/oct/14/indias-cockroach-protesters-defy-modis-crackdown-the-latest?CMP=share_btn_url) Share                      Explore more on these topics (https://www.theguardian.com/world/india) India  (https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/todayinfocus) Today in Focus  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/narendra-modi) Narendra Modi  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/protest) Protest  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/south-and-central-asia) South and central Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/freedom-of-speech) Freedom of speech                             Most viewed      Most viewed                                                               (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning (https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed) Sign up for our email     (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us) About us  (https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) Help  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) Complaints & corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact) Contact us  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tip us off  (https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) SecureDrop  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) Privacy policy  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) Cookie policy  (https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/07/22/STL_Global_Tax_Strategy_for_the_year_to_31_March_2027.pdf) Tax strategy  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) Terms & conditions   (https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) All topics  (https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) All writers  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US) Newsletters  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital newspaper archive  (https://bsky.app/profile/us.theguardian.com) Bluesky  (https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) Facebook  (https://www.instagram.com/guardian) Instagram  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) LinkedIn  (https://www.threads.com/@guardian_us) Threads  (https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) TikTok  (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) YouTube   (https://usadvertising.theguardian.com) Advertise with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us) Guardian Labs  (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Work with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Accessibility settings         (indias-cockroach-protesters-defy-modis-crackdown-the-latest.html#top) Back to top      © 2026Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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