Parliament March Turns Violent: 118 Police Injured and Around 70 Protesters Detained

On the afternoon of July 21, 2026, a crowd of students and supporters gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, chanting against what they called a leak of entrance‑exam papers. Their demand was simple enough – a proper investigation – but the plan to march all the way to the Parliament complex quickly ran into a legal snag: the protest had not been cleared by the authorities.

Delhi police, citing the lack of permission, set up barricades and tried to steer the demonstrators away. What followed was anything but orderly. According to statements from the police, stone‑throwing erupted, and officers responded with a lathi (baton) charge. In the ensuing scuffle, a total of 118 police personnel were hurt. Among them were ten senior officers, ranging from a Special Commissioner down to a Joint Commissioner.

Vehicles didn’t escape unscathed either – police say roughly fifteen to twenty government cars were damaged amid the chaos. The unrest also saw about seventy protesters taken into custody, many of them students who’d been part of the march.

Later that evening, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar visited the hospitals where the injured officers were being treated, offering words of gratitude to the medical staff and urging calm. He also warned that any further attempts to breach the Parliament precinct without proper clearance would be met with “firm action.”

While the police narrative paints a picture of a violent crowd, the protesters and several observers point out that the core issue – alleged paper‑leak irregularities – remains unproven. The incident, therefore, sits at the intersection of a genuine grievance and a breakdown in lawful protest procedures.

As the city’s streets settle down, the episode raises lingering questions: how should large‑scale demonstrations be managed in the capital, and what safeguards are needed to ensure that legitimate concerns aren’t drowned out by a sudden rush of police force?