New Delhi:
Two Delhi police officers have told NDTV that the mobs that assaulted them near the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest site in Connaught Place comprised anti-social elements with an agenda to spread anarchy, not students seeking justice over paper leaks.
“On July 22, I was on night duty. I parked my car on Hanuman Mandir Road. As I was walking towards Sansad Marg, someone shouted from behind, ‘Modi’s police is here, thrash him’. As I walked ahead, they started kicking and punching me from behind. I couldn’t understand why they were doing this. Then they started beating me with batons. Some of them also had sharp-edged weapons. They also hit me with helmets. There were around 150-200 people who had planned to lynch me,” said Inspector NK Singh.
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He said those who attacked him were aged between 20-35 years and that the assault was pre-meditated.
“These people were aged around 20-35 years. I had been deployed at the protest site before, but nobody ever behaved like this with me… The attack was pre-planned. This group is part of a 2000-3000-strong mob who stay outside the protest site and appear ready to vandalise government property. They are getting directions from somewhere to spread anarchy in Delhi,” he told NDTV Managing Editor Padmaja Joshi.
#TheBuckStopsHere with @PadmajaJoshi | The human cost of violence
Injured Delhi Police personnel, Inspector Pradeep Rai and Inspector NK Singh, recount the sudden mob attacks, severe stone-pelting and targeted assaults during the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar. pic.twitter.com/BlYDxzHZhF
— NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2026
He also alleged that his gold chain and wallet were snatched amid the commotion.
“First my daughter, a student of Class 9, was influenced by the protest. However, when she saw my condition, she started crying and said she hates them,” he added.
Inspector Pradeep Rai was attacked on July 21 near the protest site. The assault was unprovoked, he says.
“On July 21, in the evening, a gathering of 700-800 people was there, and they were moving towards Sansad Marg. We asked them to stop. As we were trying to convince them, some of them got aggressive, and they attacked us,” he said, adding the mob wielded stones, bottles and sharp-edged objects.
“They were certainly not students. Because we go to universities for duty, and students never behave like this,” he added.
“Some people are trying to divide students and police… It was a simple gathering. We weren’t anticipating violence. There wasn’t a trigger point,” he said.
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Both police officers said some members of the mobs tried to save them by dissuading the attackers.
The CJP has been protesting for several weeks, seeking Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over paper leaks.
On July 20, protesters, during their march to Parliament, were lathi-charged and tear-gassed by security personnel. Many protesters and security personnel were injured in clashes.
The government has taken several steps to assuage students’ anger, including transferring the education secretary and sacking 47 National Testing Agency employees. CJP protesters, however, say the protest will continue until Pradhan steps down.
Government sources told NDTV Pradhan’s resignation isn’t “on the cards”.
