Injured Protesters Return to Jantar Mantar: 'Weak in Body, Not in Resolve'

A day after a police crackdown on a march to Parliament, several injured protesters returned to the Jantar Mantar protest site on Tuesday. Many bore visible injuries—limping, bandaged heads, and bruised limbs—as they resumed their demonstration against alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam and other education-related issues.

Among them was Ajit Singh, 30, a teacher from Paschim Vihar who coaches B.Ed students. He had been treated at Lady Hardinge Hospital for injuries to his head, left hand, and legs. Singh said he was walking on Parliament Street when police moved in. “We told them we hadn’t eaten and couldn’t run. We asked them to spare us. But I was hit with a lathi first on my head, then my hands,” he said. Despite being discharged only hours earlier, Singh said he felt compelled to return. “Although the government is unresponsive, we shall continue to fight for the students,” he added.

Another protester, Hammad (30), a social worker from Tonk, Rajasthan, also returned to Jantar Mantar by 3 pm, hours after being discharged from the same hospital. He had suffered head and hand injuries during the crackdown. “I want the police officers who hit women protesters to be detained… I am weak in body but not in resolve,” said Hammad, an LLB dropout who had been at the protest site for 23 days. He recounted being hit with lathis by men in uniform and civilian clothes near the Parliament Street police station barricades, losing consciousness for about half an hour.

Ritik Ghosle, 25, a clothing shop owner from Pune, flew to Delhi three days ago to join the protest. He was injured on Monday and treated at RML Hospital. “I studied only till Class 10, but I want the children of our country to have a better future than me,” he said, adding that he returned because he “didn’t want to leave the movement halfway.”

John (18), a student with a bandage around his head after being struck with a lathi while leaving Jantar Mantar, said, “If I don’t fight today, I have no other option but to leave the country and study abroad.” Another protester, Narendra (22), who works at a general store in Haryana, suffered injuries on his knee and hands. He was discharged from Lady Hardinge Hospital at 9 am and returned directly to the protest site. “I came because of the suicides (related to paper leaks) and for our future generations,” he said.

The protests, led by the Council for the Protection of Student Rights (CJP), have been ongoing over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam, including paper leaks. The march to Parliament on Monday was met with a police lathi charge and tear gas, resulting in several injuries. Despite the crackdown, protesters have vowed to continue their demonstration at Jantar Mantar.