Rahul Gandhi held during New Delhi protest outside Modi residence

Indian police detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday during a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi, Al Jazeera and The Associated Press reported. The action came as youth-led “Cockroach” protests over education reforms and government accountability entered a second day and drew broader public attention after a police crackdown.

Gandhi and other opposition figures had gathered outside Modi’s residence to protest the police response to demonstrations a day earlier, according to Al Jazeera. Yashraj Sharma, reporting for Al Jazeera from New Delhi, said Gandhi called for the resignations of Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before police took him away.

Sharma reported that those detained were brought to a nearby police station. Pawan Khera, a member of Gandhi’s Indian National Congress party, wrote on social media that Gandhi had been forcibly taken by police and said Priyanka Gandhi, Gandhi’s sister and a fellow Congress politician, was among those held.

Indian media footage appeared to show protesters trying to protect Gandhi as officers seized him while he was on the ground, according to Al Jazeera. Sharma described the scene outside the prime minister’s residence as chaotic after Gandhi had publicly urged people to gather there. A later social media post cited by Al Jazeera claimed there were visible signs Gandhi had been hurt during the detention.

Gandhi wrote on social media that Modi should resign for “destroying the future of India’s youth.” He also said the government did not want to accept responsibility or allow a parliamentary debate on the matter.

The protests have been led by the Cockroach movement, which Al Jazeera and AP described as youth-driven and increasingly joined by professionals and families. The movement is pressing for changes in India’s education system and demanding accountability from the government, including the resignation of Pradhan over alleged failures in the examination system.

Thousands of protesters gathered Tuesday at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi’s designated protest area, under a heavy police presence, Al Jazeera and AP reported. Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, said demonstrators would continue their protest.

The Cockroach Janta Party began two months ago as a satirical protest after a Supreme Court judge described India’s youth as “cockroaches,” according to Al Jazeera and AP. The movement gained further attention over the weekend after police forcibly took activist Sonam Wangchuk to a hospital during a three-week hunger strike that had become a symbol for protesters.

On Monday, police used tear gas and struck demonstrators with canes and batons as thousands marched toward parliament, Al Jazeera and AP reported. Videos shared online showed officers beating and dragging protesters, images that helped spread anger beyond the protest sites.

Delhi police said nearly 180 people were injured in the unrest, including 118 security personnel and 60 protesters. Sona Bisht, a 20-year-old student who joined the demonstrations, told Al Jazeera and AP that the crackdown had strengthened protesters’ resolve and that they would remain until their demands were met.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.