New Delhi: Protesters gathered once again at Jantar Mantar on Thursday, demanding action over the alleged NEET paper leak and calling for reforms in the education system. The protest follows Wednesday’s demonstration by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which turned violent as protesters allegedly clashed with police, hurled stones, and threw water bottles.
What happened during the protest?
Around 4:30 pm, some protesters started pelting stones at the police at Jantar Mantar. In this, ACP Jaiprakash of Punjabi Bagh got injured. The police removed the protesters from there by using mild force. Then, around 8:30 pm, protesters resumed stone-pelting near the NDMC intersection and Tolstoy Marg, where some policemen were attacked.
Three policemen were injured in the protesters’ attack and stone-pelting, including ACP Vivek Bhagat. All three have been admitted to RML Hospital. Following this, the atmosphere at Jantar Mantar remained tense throughout the night.
According to the Delhi Police, this group of protesters suddenly arrived at Tolstoy Marg and began pelting stones at the police and RAF personnel already deployed there. Some of the violent agitators were armed with swords, sticks, stones, and curved knives.
Following this, RAF and police teams swung into action. Additional security forces were summoned to the scene, and the agitators, who were hurling stones and bottles at security personnel, were chased away within 10 minutes by firing tear gas and lathi-charging.
How many police officers were injured?
According to the Delhi Police, around a dozen police personnel and RAF jawans sustained injuries during the violence. The injured include two Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), two inspectors, and other police personnel. All the injured were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for first aid.
Has the Centre increased security?
The Home Ministry has called in 20 CRPF companies from West Bengal for security purposes. From Wednesday morning, the protests spread from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street and Tolstoy Street. As a precaution, entry and exit gates to 16 nearby metro stations, including Janpath and Connaught Place, have been closed, but despite this, the crowd of protesters continued to grow.
On Wednesday, around 30,000 protesters gathered on Parliament Street and Tolstoy Street. As the crowd gathered on Parliament Street began moving toward the Parliament building, scuffles broke out with security forces.
