Delhi Protest Turns Violent as Thousands Demand Education Minister's Resignation

Tens of thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan gathered in central New Delhi on Monday, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The protest, organised by activist Sonam Wangchuk and a group called the Cockroach Janta Party, escalated into clashes with police as demonstrators attempted to march towards Parliament.

Security forces had confined the main group of protesters to the Jantar Mantar area, but large numbers—estimated at over 50,000—breached barricades at multiple locations across the New Delhi police district. Police responded with lathicharge, tear gas, and water cannon on roads including Ashoka Road, Janpath, and Raisina Road, resulting in injuries to many protesters.

The organisers had repeatedly called for a peaceful protest, but the situation turned violent by early afternoon, with pitched street battles and brickbatting reported at several locations, including Connaught Place. Police vehicles were vandalised.

Injured protesters were taken to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital, with four admitted to the ICU at RML. Hospital sources said emergency teams had attended to around 100 people by late afternoon. At least 10 police personnel were also treated at RML, and police reported that more than 100 of their personnel had suffered injuries, including North Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Raja Banthia, who sustained injuries to his hand and leg.

The protest spread organically, with demonstrators reaching close to the perimeter wall of Parliament. The Parliament building was locked down, with no entry or exit allowed for MPs, staff, or media. Sources in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) admitted they had underestimated the crowd size, expecting about 5,000 protesters, while the actual number was nearly 50,000.

Delhi Police's inaccurate assessment recalled a similar misjudgment during the 2021 Republic Day protest when farmers stormed the Red Fort. The Jantar Mantar protest site, which can hold at most 3,000 people, had already gathered about 5,000 by Sunday evening, with numbers swelling overnight.

Late in the afternoon, as violence continued around Connaught Place and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, police dismantled the stage at Jantar Mantar that had been occupied by the protesting group for three weeks.