Batman masks to offline maps: India youth shift tactics as police clamp down on election protest

From Batman masks to offline maps, young Indian protesters have responded to one of New Delhi's toughest security crackdowns with improvised tactics designed to evade surveillance and keep demonstrations alive.

A supporter of India's opposition Congress party holds the country's national flag as he scuffles with security personnel during a protest demanding the resignation of the nation's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter roll irregularities linked to the "special intensive revision" (SIR), in New Delhi on October 12, 2026. Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP

As police and protesters engage in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, social media-savvy students are turning ingenuity into a form of resistance.

With tens of thousands of security personnel deployed in key parts of the capital to block the main protest site of Jantar Mantar, protesters turned to holding flash demonstrations elsewhere, taking authorities by surprise.

Protesters have been undeterred by thousands of reported detentions during demonstrations over the weekend in the capital. Many have since been released.

Source: Citizen Digital