The Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) “Chalo Sansad” march drew thousands of students and young people to Jantar Mantar before they attempted to move towards Parliament. Anticipating the mobilisation, Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel had heavily barricaded the area around Parliament Street, Raisina Road and Central Secretariat.
The morning passed with slogans and speeches. By afternoon, the barricades became the battle lines.
As protesters tried to move towards Parliament, the police responded with lathi-charge. Tear gas shells followed. Protesters regrouped after every round, chanting slogans against the Centre and the police before attempting to push forward again.
As the confrontation escalated, stone-pelting broke out in several pockets. Stones and chunks of concrete were seen being hurled from both sides during the clashes. Behind Regal Cinema in central Delhi, protesters picked up debris from the road and threw it towards police personnel, while stones were also seen coming from the police side during attempts to disperse the crowd. A Delhi Police PCR van, along with several vehicles, were damaged, and several police officials sustained injuries, with the police claiming that around 50 officials sustained injuries.
The violence also triggered a stampede-like situation around Jantar Mantar, where several protesters collapsed amid the crush of the crowd and the day's humidity as first hand seen by The Tribune. Many complained that medical assistance was scarce despite the size of the gathering.
Among those injured was Rovin, an AISA Delhi University office-bearer who, according to fellow activists, suffered a fracture in his left arm along with multiple other injuries during the police action. AISA claimed several other activists sustained serious injuries to their necks, backs, arms and legs, while a student participating in the protest allegedly suffered a shoulder dislocation. The organisation further alleged that male police personnel carried out lathi-charge on women protesters.
The police maintained that prohibitory orders were in force across the New Delhi district and said the CJP had not obtained permission to march to Parliament. The authorities said the restrictions were necessary to ensure security during the opening day of Parliament's Monsoon Session.
By evening, Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street and adjoining roads had been cleared after repeated baton charges and tear gas shelling. The day ended with broken barricades, damaged vehicles, drifting clouds of tear gas, pools of rainwater mixed with blood, as the city once again reminded how quickly a protest in the heart of the Capital could descend into violent confrontation.