Jantar Mantar violence: Delhi Police personnel injured, 16 Metro stations shut
Synopsis
Stone-pelting at a CJP-led protest near Jantar Mantar on Wednesday night injured several Delhi Police personnel, including an ACP, and triggered the closure of 16 Metro stations on Thursday. The violence is the second major flashpoint in three days, rooted in student-led demands over the NEET-UG paper leak — and it is now spilling beyond the protest site into the capital's daily commute.
Key Takeaways
Several Delhi Police personnel were seriously injured in stone-pelting near Tolstoy Marg, Connaught Place at around 8:30 pm on 23 July .
ACP Connaught Place Vivek Bhagat was among the injured; all were shifted to RML Hospital .
Special CP Devesh Chandra Srivastava visited the hospital during the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday.
The RAF and police used limited force and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
16 Delhi Metro stations were closed for entry and exit on Thursday; interchange at Rajiv Chowk , Mandi House , and Central Secretariat remained operational.
The unrest follows protests on 20 July demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG paper leak.
Several Delhi Police personnel sustained serious injuries after alleged miscreants clashed with security forces during a Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday night, 23 July, officials confirmed on Thursday. The violence broke out near Tolstoy Marg in the Connaught Place area at around 8:30 pm, when protesters allegedly pelted stones and hurled bottles at security personnel.
How the Violence Unfolded
According to Delhi Police, officers repeatedly urged the crowd to remain calm and maintain law and order before the situation deteriorated. When a section of the protesters refused to disperse and continued throwing stones, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and police deployed limited force and fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Connaught Place, Vivek Bhagat, was among those injured in the attack. All injured police personnel were subsequently shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital for treatment.
Senior Officer Visits the Injured
During the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order Zone-I) Devesh Chandra Srivastava visited RML Hospital to meet the injured officials. Delhi Police have assured a thorough investigation into the violence and security has since been significantly reinforced across affected areas.
Background: The Protest and Its Trigger
The fresh escalation follows violent demonstrations that erupted on 20 July, when thousands of CJP supporters, along with students, marched from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over recurring examination irregularities, including the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. The protests drew students, opposition leaders, and activists calling for accountability in India's education system. This is the second major flashpoint in three days at the same location.
16 Delhi Metro Stations Shut, Interchange Continues
As security was intensified across the national capital on Thursday, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) closed 16 stations for entry and exit. The affected stations include Lok Kalyan Marg, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Barakhambha Road, Supreme Court, Seva Teerth, Janpath, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, ITO, Delhi Gate, Indraprastha, Khan Market, Jor Bagh, and Shivaji Stadium.
In a post on X, the DMRC clarified that interchange facilities at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, and Central Secretariat would remain operational, allowing commuters to change trains despite the closure of those stations for entry and exit. With security tightened and an investigation under way, authorities are working to prevent any further escalation in the capital.
Point of View
And the Centre's response has so far been reactive rather than structural. Deploying the RAF and shutting 16 Metro stations manages optics, not grievances. When a protest movement that began with exam accountability ends with an ACP hospitalised and a city's transit network partially paralysed, the question mainstream coverage is not asking loudly enough is: what is the government's plan beyond containment?
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at Jantar Mantar on 23 July?
A group of alleged miscreants pelted stones and hurled bottles at Delhi Police personnel during a CJP-led protest near Tolstoy Marg, Connaught Place, at around 8:30 pm on 23 July. Several officers, including ACP Connaught Place Vivek Bhagat, sustained serious injuries and were taken to RML Hospital.
Why was the protest at Jantar Mantar held?
The protest was led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and drew students, opposition leaders, and activists demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over recurring examination irregularities, including the NEET-UG paper leak. A similar march towards Parliament had taken place on 20 July.
Which Delhi Metro stations were closed on 23 July?
The DMRC closed 16 stations for entry and exit, including Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, ITO, Khan Market, and Janpath, among others. The DMRC clarified that interchange facilities at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, and Central Secretariat would remain operational for train changes.
What action did Delhi Police take during the violence?
Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) used limited force and fired tear gas shells after repeated requests to disperse were ignored. A thorough investigation into the violence has been assured, and security has been significantly reinforced across affected areas.
Who visited the injured police personnel at the hospital?
Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order Zone-I) Devesh Chandra Srivastava visited RML Hospital during the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday to meet the injured officials.
