The Pulse | Politics | South Asia

Who is Responsible for the June 20 Police Brutalities in New Delhi?

Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force, which unleashed the violence on student protesters, fall under the direct jurisdiction of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Screenshot of a video of Delhi Police beating protesters with batons in New Delhi, India, June 20, 2026.

Hours after Dharmendra Pradhan, education minister in the Narendra Modi government, stepped down on July 25 under pressure from massive Gen Z protests in New Delhi and other Indian cities, Rahul Gandhi, Congress Party leader and leader of the opposition in the lower house of parliament, sent a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking accountability for the “barbaric assault on students who were peacefully protesting in Delhi on July 20, 2026.“

Gandhi was referring to the Narendra Modi government’s use of brutal force against unarmed students marching toward the parliament building in New Delhi on July 20.

The leak of question papers for medical entrance exams held nationwide on May 3 triggered a tidal wave of anger and anguish among students across India. Gandhi and the Congress party began holding rallies in various towns and cities demanding accountability from the Modi government.

Then came the protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) from June 6 at Jantar Mantar calling for Pradhan’s resignation. Several went on hunger strikes. The CJP called for a march to parliament on July 20.

As thousands began to march peacefully that day, the Modi government revealed its iron fist in the heart of New Delhi, the Indian capital.

Multiple video clips reveal that Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialized unit of the Central Reserve Police Force, rained batons and fired pellet guns and tear gas on student protesters. In one video, a senior identifiable police officer can be seen slapping a woman student standing nearby. Another video shows a woman being stunned by a shock baton. Protesters have also alleged they were beaten with batons fitted with nails.

At least four people, including a journalist who was covering the protests, have been identified so far with severe pellet........

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