Supreme Court Orders Probe Into Delhi Police Student Protest Violence

The Supreme Court of India has established a high-powered committee to investigate allegations of police excesses during a July 20 march in Delhi. The protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party over NEET-UG paper leaks, ended on July 25 following the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The court-appointed panel, comprising retired judges and senior police officials, will examine CCTV footage and reports of sexual assault and online harassment of female protesters.

Chief Justice Surya Kant indicated the court may use Article 142 to quash FIRs against students to protect their futures, though the court will personally decide constitutional issues regarding facial recognition and surveillance. The Delhi Police filed a counter-affidavit denying excessive force, claiming a crowd of 30,000 breached barricades, resulting in injuries to 240 officers and 200 protesters. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that over 2,800 anti-social elements with criminal records infiltrated the movement.

Political tensions remain high as Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the government of using pellet guns and nail-studded lathis, citing a student who lost vision in one eye. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju denied these claims, asserting that not a single person suffered a broken bone and praising the police for preventing deaths. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has since promised fast-track courts to punish those responsible for the examination leaks.