Delhi Police and protesters from the Cockroach Janata Party clashed at Jantar Mantar on June 22, 2026, resulting in injuries to both sides.

The confrontation marks a volatile escalation in demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The unrest centers on grievances regarding changes to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam system, a critical gateway for medical education in India.

Police officials said some protesters were "unruly, aggressive and violent." According to law enforcement, individuals pelted stones, attacked officers, and brandished weapons, which prompted a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.

A Delhi Police spokesperson said the group "refused to disperse and deliberately violated the prohibitory orders in force."

Conversely, leaders of the Cockroach Janata Party described a different sequence of events. Abhijeet Dipke, a CJP leader, said police used excessive force and student protesters were assaulted.

The incident occurred on the fourth day of the demonstration at the historic Jantar Mantar site. While police allege that violent elements hijacked the protest, CJP representatives said the authorities were the primary aggressors during the disruption.

“"Protesters were 'unruly, aggressive and violent'"”

The clash highlights the deep-seated tension between the Indian government and students over medical entrance examinations. The contradictory accounts of the violence—with police citing protester aggression and activists citing state brutality—reflect a broader pattern of disputed narratives during civil unrest in New Delhi's primary protest zone.