The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) accused Delhi Police of using force against students protesting at Jantar Mantar.
The party also claimed that the students involved in the demonstration were lathi-charged in the protest and protested, and opposition leaders and student groups are upset they are being persecuted.
The protest was reportedly organized to highlight problems affecting students (education and policy problems). Demonstrators gathered at Jantar Mantar, one of Delhi’s main protest venues, holding banners and raising slogans. As the gathering grew, tension between protesters and police officers there to keep the peace and order grew, according to some media reports.
Cockroach Janta Party members say the police used baton charges without sufficient provocation and injured many. The party said the police’s use of force was an effort to suppress the democratic voice. They called for an independent investigation of the incident and for the authorities to take responsibility.
Student organizations echoed the same sentiments, saying that peaceful demonstrations are a constitutional right and should not be met with excessive force.
Some protesters claimed that police broke up the protest and dispersed it rather abruptly; videos and photographs circulating on social media showed chaotic scenes at the protest site. However, the authenticity of all of this footage and context could not be determined independently.
The Delhi Police has yet to make a public statement on the allegations. Police have long maintained that in other cases force is used only when it is necessary to prevent disturbance, to ensure public safety, or to maintain order. It is not yet clear to what extent the events in Jantar Mantar are official.
The incident has triggered widespread reactions online, with political leaders, activists, and citizens debating the balance between maintaining law and order and protecting the right to peaceful protest. Numerous hashtags associated with the protest are trending on social media as users shared videos, eyewitness accounts, and opinions.
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— Sonu Kanojiya (@SONUKUM88277862) July 18, 2026
Delhi Police is cracking down at Jantar Mantar. Beating up people and taking away Sonam sir forcefully
Shame on Modi-Shah Gang😡 pic.twitter.com/2YuxHbW0PS
Jantar Mantar has historically been a focal point of public demonstrations in Delhi, with demonstrations on education and employment and social justice and governance. Police action at protest sites is a very topical issue and can make a big political difference in the larger context of civil liberties.
In legal terms, the Constitution also says citizens have the right to assemble peacefully and with reasonable restrictions and that the authorities are responsible for maintaining public order.
Any accusations of excessive force, if any, need to be investigated in a fair way and if protocols were violated.
Opposition parties will continue to question the handling of the protest and authorities could be forced to release CCTV footage or official reports of the incident. Until official findings are available, political parties and protesters can still make allegations about the protest that need to be verified independently.
