Protesters are demanding the sacking of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday. | Photo credit: MOORTHY RV.
The Delhi Police on Tuesday registered four FIRs against unknown persons for rioting, assaulting government servants, damaging government property and other offenses during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest on Monday.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Anand Kumar Mishra said an investigation was ongoing into whether the violence was “premeditated and carried out in an organized and coordinated manner.” “We have documented the protest through video footage and are examining CCTV footage, mobile phone footage, drone images and body camera footage to identify the participants,” Mr Mishra told the media.
Seeking clarity on the action taken by the Delhi Police, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has written to Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma demanding immediate release of the list of FIRs and names of the people detained.
Comparing what happened at Jantar Mantar on Monday with the actions taken by General Dyer at Jallianwala Bagh in 1919, Mr. Kejriwal, speaking at a press conference, said, “The police brutally beat the students without any provocation and fired tear gas. Britain did not use such brutality even against freedom fighters.”
Later, addressing those who continued to protest at Jantar Mantar, the former chief minister said that the police were imposing false cases against the students. “(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is trying to call the protesters terrorists. I want to tell you that the biggest terrorist is Modi. Modi is calling you anti-national, but the biggest anti-national is Modi for playing with the future of students,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal’s demand for a list of those detained has loomed large with several people frantically searching for their friends and family members a day after police disrupted a march to Parliament, firing guns and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
“Lati charge, tear gas”
Sharing details of the incident, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) said at a press conference that thousands of slippers, torn clothes and blood splashes could be seen all over Jantar Mantar. The committee included Neha, Amin and Manish, who fasted for 23 days, as well as protesters who were injured during Monday’s protest.
Anjali, secretary of Delhi University’s AISA unit, said, “Yesterday, in central Delhi – Sansad Marg, Connaught Place, Palika Bazaar – there were barricades every 200-250 meters. The protesters were trapped in tight spaces with barricades on both sides. They (police) then threw teargas shells and beat up the protesters with armour.”
Tanvi, a student and AISA activist, said, “Not only the students were beaten, but also the parents and students who joined the protest in their uniform.” She added: “The march itself was peaceful. There was noise created.”
with assistance from Ashna Bhutani
Published – Jul 22, 2026 01:25 EST.