Prateek Tanmay
3 min readPuneJul 21, 2026 08:11 AM IST
Written by Kalyani Lad
As the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar entered a tense phase on Monday, with Delhi Police and state agencies cracking down on demonstrators from across the country, a large contingent from Maharashtra with more than 650 students present at the site alleged excessive force, denial of basic supplies like water, and targeting of protesters.
“Security personnel used water cannons to disperse the crowd in the early hours. food and water supplies were deliberately stopped at the site, leaving demonstrators without access to essential provisions for several hours,” said one of the protestors from the State..
“They have cut off the drinking water supply. People sending food and beverages from across India have been stopped and cut off by Delhi police and SRPF. Hundreds of students who were on hunger strike are suffering because of water cut off… Government messages are popping up on phones of an internet ban on our devices, WhatsApp is not working , Meta is not letting us post anything on Instagram, there was brutal lathicharge by Delhi police, women and minors are bleeding,” said Budhiraj Torne, a student of Mumbai University.
“The policing was so strong and tight that we could not get cabs and metros were not stopping at the designated stops nearest to Jantar Mantar, so many couldn’t reach the protest site,” said Sushma, a CJP protestor from Pune.
Students alleged the crackdown turned violent, with several protesters beaten during the dispersal. “Police are beating up everyone present at Jantar Mantar. Water canons are being used, and internet connectivity has been cut off, making it impossible to post anything. The police also used tear gas,” said Ayesha, an AISF member.
Student leaders have described the actions as “inhumane” and a violation of the right to peaceful protest.
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“Police were stopping me everywhere; somehow, I reached near the Parliament building. My phone was constantly receiving government alerts, and I was unable to connect with fellow comrades and protestors,” added Torne. “No matter how hard this gets, we will continue the march.”
Student bodies have condemned the actions and called for an independent inquiry. They are demanding the immediate restoration of water and food access, release of detained students, and an end to what they term the criminalization of dissent.
The Writer is an intern with The Indian Express
