Students Counter Viral Fake Videos as Jantar Mantar Protest Officially Ends

A week after the 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar officially concluded, students have returned to the site — not to demonstrate, but to counter a wave of social media videos falsely portraying the agitation as ongoing.

Several Instagram clips claiming to show “live” scenes of student clashes with police and heavy security have been circulating widely. Timestamps on the videos include August 1, July 31 and July 30, with some amassing millions of views. One video described as a 6 a.m. update on August 1 has crossed 2.8 million views, while another labelled as a 6.30 a.m. update on July 31 has received 1.9 million views.

Representatives of student organisations have been visiting the protest site, speaking with local shopkeepers, and seeking access to CCTV footage to publicly refute what they call a fabricated narrative. On Saturday evening, the stretch from Patel Chowk Metro station to Jantar Mantar remained under heavy police deployment, with personnel from Delhi Police, BSF and CRPF stationed along the route. Workers were repainting barricades as visitors and students walked through the area.

Bhim Kumar, a representative of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), said they came to verify and debunk the claims. “We spoke to local vendors, student organisations and media personnel, who confirmed no protests have taken place. Police officials have also termed these claims baseless. No student organisation has announced any protest after July 28, but these videos are misleading people into believing demonstrations are still continuing. They are also weakening our cause,” he said.

Student representatives said they approached those handling CCTV cameras in the area to verify whether any gatherings had taken place. “So far we have not found any evidence to ascertain such protests. We will now discuss the issue with other student organisations before approaching the police with a formal complaint seeking action against the social media handles circulating the videos,” Kumar added.

Other students visited Jantar Mantar to coordinate legal assistance for protesters facing cases in different states and to review developments relating to FIRs registered during the agitation.

Mudita, who participated throughout the 36-day protest, said the movement has shifted from street demonstrations to outreach. “We are continuing to reach students across colleges and universities to discuss the larger problems in the education system. The protest was never only about seeking the Minister’s resignation, it was about addressing deeper structural issues. We are also working on concerns faced by student protesters, including FIRs registered in different states,” she said.

For traders around Jantar Mantar, the misinformation has meant quieter streets and lower sales. Dharmender, who manages a sweet shop overlooking the protest site, said business has dropped sharply. “People still believe the protest is continuing and are afraid to come here. For a Saturday, this is unusually quiet,” he said.

At a neighbouring juice stall, Sunny said business was slowly recovering but remained below normal. “The situation became difficult after the protest. Students still come here every day, and office-goers have also started returning gradually.”

An ice cream vendor outside the site also noted reduced footfall. The viral videos have led to confusion among the public, with many staying away from the area. Student groups have urged social media users to verify facts before sharing posts and have announced plans to file complaints against accounts circulating false content.