India's top court orders release of minors detained during protests

India's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the release of students under 18 with no criminal records who were arrested during recent youth protests that led to the resignation of the country's education minister.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said allegations of police excesses against students appeared to warrant a fair and independent investigation. It also barred authorities from taking coercive action against protesting students, the Press Trust of India reported.

During the hearing, the court also ordered that "any digital data collected on protesters be preserved but not brought into the public domain."

Dharmendra Pradhan resigned last week after weeks of nationwide protests calling for his removal over alleged exam paper leaks across the country.

The demonstrations, led by the newly formed Cockroach Janta Party, began in the capital, New Delhi, before spreading to other parts of the country.

Last week, police used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters attempting to march toward Parliament in New Delhi.

Clashes also were reported across the country between students and security forces.

Following talks with the government and the minister's resignation, the Cockroach Janta Party announced it was ending the protests, saying all of its demands had been met.

However, several places across the country later reported the detention of students who participated in the protests.