UN experts urge India to stop using excessive force against protesters

■ Steady

Youth-led protest movement draws scrutiny as two Cockroach movement leaders are freed

On Friday, the New York Times published an analysis of India's youth protest movement, outlining four takeaways as democracies worldwide face pressure. On Wednesday, an Indian court ordered the release of Cockroach movement leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who spent a week in Delhi's Tihar jail after being arrested for defying protest restrictions. Also on Wednesday, leaders of Prime Minister Modi's governing coalition sought to portray the demonstrations as a power grab by traditional political parties rather than a grass-roots youth movement.

• Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were ordered released after a week in Tihar jail for defying protest restrictions.
• The release came amid what is described as a state crackdown on youth-led protests.
• Leaders of the governing coalition are framing the protests as a power grab by traditional parties.