New Delhi: Fresh clashes broke out between student protesters and police near Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Wednesday night as demonstrations over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak continued.
According to Delhi Police, protesters associated with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) allegedly pelted stones and bottles at police personnel near Tolstoy Marg in Connaught Place at around 8.30 pm. Police responded by firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The clash lasted around 15 minutes before the situation was brought under control.
Police said ACP Vivek Bhagat of Connaught Place sustained injuries in the incident.
Several videos of the clashes surfaced on social media. Some appeared to show police using batons against protesters, while others showed demonstrators carrying sticks and confronting police personnel.
The latest violence comes days after clashes during the CJP’s Parliament march on July 20, when police resorted to a lathi-charge after protesters attempted to move towards Parliament.
Meanwhile, Abhijeet Dipke appealed to activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike, saying the country needs him. He added that the party would continue its protest through peaceful means.
Amid heightened security, the Union Home Ministry ordered the deployment of 20 additional companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi. Around 2,000 CRPF personnel were airlifted from Kolkata to the national capital.
As a precautionary measure, 16 Delhi Metro stations were temporarily closed before being reopened later in the evening.
Delhi Police also registered an FIR over the alleged assault on a Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel during the protests. According to police, viral videos showed some protesters allegedly assaulting the RAF jawan, pelting stones at an RAF vehicle and vandalising it.
Separately, the Delhi High Court, while hearing a petition alleging police assault on students, directed the government to preserve all CCTV footage related to the incident.
Actor Salman Khan also reacted to the controversy, saying the students’ movement had been peaceful and that it was unfortunate it turned violent. He expressed sympathy for the injured students and their families, urged that the issue should not be politicised, and said he hoped the government would respond positively to the students’ demands to further strengthen India’s education system.
