Woman Alleges Ear Severely Injured During Police Dispersal of CJP Protest
New Delhi, August 1: A 24-year-old woman from Jharkhand has stated that her right ear was nearly severed during a police operation to disperse a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi on July 20. The incident occurred at Jantar Mantar, where thousands of students and supporters had gathered to demand the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in national examinations, including the NEET-UG paper leak.
The woman, identified as Nutan Toppo, a resident of Gumla district, said she had travelled to Delhi to participate in the demonstration. She was employed at a software company in Gurgaon and was also preparing for competitive exams. Toppo said she joined the protest to support students and raise concerns about examination irregularities.
According to Toppo, the situation escalated around 3:30 pm when police moved against the protesters. She alleged that officers fired tear gas, used water cannons, and resorted to a lathicharge (baton charge), causing panic among the crowd. She said she fled towards Rajiv Chowk, where many students regrouped and resumed their protest.
Toppo recounted that during this second phase, she heard a sound resembling gunfire. Almost immediately, she sustained a serious injury to her right ear. She stated that she does not know what caused the wound—whether it was a pellet gun, a bullet, or another object. 'I still don't know what hit me,' she said.
Fellow students rushed her to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in Delhi, where doctors performed surgery for about two hours. She claimed, 'My right ear was almost severed.' After receiving first aid, she was discharged and returned to Ranchi for further treatment. On July 27, she was admitted to Global Hospital in Ranchi. On Tuesday, Kumar Raja, President of the Ranchi Congress Metropolitan Committee, accompanied her from the hospital to the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress office, where she addressed the media.
During her press interaction, Toppo alleged that a significant number of police personnel deployed were in plain clothes, and many uniformed officers did not have visible nameplates. The police have not yet issued a response to her allegations.
The CJP protest was part of a series of demonstrations against the alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam, which led to demands for the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The government has denied any cover-up and stated that investigations are ongoing.
