The Hindu Editorial • July 27, 2026 • Read Original

Caught on camera: on the use of force at Jantar Mantar

Police brutality was on public display at the Jantar Mantar protests

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The Hindu Read Original

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Analysis of editorial from The Hindu newspaper on July 27, 2026

Caught on camera: on the use of force at Jantar Mantar

Police brutality was on public display at the Jantar Mantar protests

Politics and Governance Delhi PoliceJantar Mantar ProtestsPolice BrutalitySupreme Court of IndiaStudent ProtestsAccountability

Sentences

Sentence 1 of 21

English Original

The massive use of force by the Delhi Police, and unidentified people, on student protesters in the national capital clearly breached all known protocols of crowd control.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The massive use of force by the Delhi Police, and unidentified people,

The large amount of physical violence used by the Delhi Police and unknown individuals

Part 2

on student protesters in the national capital

against students protesting in New Delhi

Part 3

clearly all known of crowd control.

obviously broke all the established rules and guidelines for managing a crowd.

Context and Background

Jantar Mantar Student Protests (July 2026)

In June and July 2026, Jantar Mantar in New Delhi became the epicenter of massive student-led protests demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister following the NEET paper leak and exam irregularities. On July 20, 2026, security forces used severe force, including tear gas and lathi-charges, to stop a march to Parliament, leading to public outrage and a petition in the Supreme Court over police excesses.

Sentence 2 of 21

English Original

After its initial reluctance, the Supreme Court of India has now agreed to hear complaints of police excesses on Monday, July 27.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

After its initial ,

Even though the Court was unwilling or hesitant at first,

Part 2

the Supreme Court of India has now agreed

the highest court in India has accepted the request

Part 3

to hear complaints of police excesses on Monday, July 27.

to examine the accusations of excessive violence used by the police on Monday, July 27.

Sentence 3 of 21

English Original

Meanwhile, multiple video clips that have surfaced online show personnel, both in uniform and in normal clothes, using violence with an apparent intent to harm and terrorise protesters rather than to disperse them.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Meanwhile, multiple video clips that have online

At the same time, many video recordings that have appeared on the internet

Part 2

show , both in uniform and in normal clothes,

reveal officers, some wearing police uniforms and others in civilian dress,

Part 3

using violence with an intent to harm and terrorise protesters

using physical force with a clear goal of hurting and frightening the student protesters

Part 4

rather than to them.

instead of just making them scatter or leave the area.

Sentence 4 of 21

English Original

Some protesters have sustained pellet injuries that the police and the authorities have yet to explain.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Some protesters have pellet injuries

Some of the people protesting have suffered wounds caused by pellet guns

Part 2

that the police and the authorities have yet to explain.

which the police department and government officials have not explained or justified so far.

Sentence 5 of 21

English Original

In one video, an identifiable senior official of the Delhi Police is seen slapping a girl who was standing nearby; in another, an unidentified person in uniform with three stars is seen poking a girl from behind while she was walking away.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In one video, an identifiable senior official of the Delhi Police

In one of the videos, a high-ranking officer of the Delhi Police who can be easily recognized

Part 2

is seen slapping a girl who was standing nearby;

is captured on camera slapping a young woman who was just standing close by;

Part 3

in another, an unidentified person in uniform with three stars

in a different video, an unknown person wearing a police uniform with three star badges on the shoulders

Part 4

is seen poking a girl from behind

is shown pushing or poking a young woman from behind

Part 5

while she was walking away.

at the moment she was leaving the spot.

Sentence 6 of 21

English Original

In a third video, personnel are seen surrounding a girl, with one of them groping her while others leer and laugh.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In a third video, personnel are seen surrounding a girl,

In a third video clip, police staff are shown standing around a young woman,

Part 2

with one of them her

where one of the men is touching her in an inappropriate, sexual way without her consent,

Part 3

while others and laugh.

while the other officers look at her with unpleasant, malicious expressions and laugh.

Context and Background

Laws on Sexual Harassment in India

Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which came into effect in July 2024 replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sexual harassment (Section 75) and assault with intent to outrage modesty (Section 74) are treated as serious cognizable offenses. If public servants, including police personnel, are accused of such behavior, they can be prosecuted directly and face severe imprisonment.

Sentence 7 of 21

English Original

Some people not in uniform but wearing helmets are seen in video clips on social media beating protesters.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Some people not in uniform but wearing helmets

Several individuals who are not wearing police uniforms but are wearing helmets on their heads

Part 2

are seen in video clips on social media

are captured in video recordings shared on social media websites

Part 3

beating protesters.

hitting and attacking the students who were protesting.

Sentence 8 of 21

English Original

Some have been caught on camera carrying sticks with long nails, while others are seen smashing vehicles.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Some have been caught on camera carrying sticks with long nails,

Some individuals have been filmed holding wooden sticks that had long nails sticking out of them,

Part 2

while others are seen smashing vehicles.

while different people are shown breaking and damaging cars or motorcycles.

Context and Background

Authorized Police Weapons in India

Under police manuals and crowd-control guidelines in India, law enforcement personnel are only authorized to use standard equipment such as bamboo lathis (wooden batons), plastic shields, water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. The use of improvised, dangerous weapons like wooden sticks studded with metal nails is entirely illegal, violating both police protocol and criminal laws against assault.

Sentence 9 of 21

English Original

All this has happened while the protesters were, barring a stray incident or two, peaceful.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

All this has happened

All of these violent actions have taken place

Part 2

while the protesters were, a incident or two, peaceful.

at a time when the students were peaceful, except for one or two isolated incidents of disturbance.

Sentence 10 of 21

English Original

Those who unleashed violence, whether authorised police personnel or vigilantes who infiltrated the student protests, need to be identified, pursued, and held accountable.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Those who violence,

The people who started or released the physical force and attacks,

Part 2

whether authorised police personnel or who the student protests,

regardless of whether they were official police officers who had permission, or private groups who secretly entered the student protest to cause trouble,

Part 3

need to be identified, , and held accountable.

must be recognized, chased by the law, and made responsible for their actions.

Sentence 11 of 21

English Original

The police violence against student protesters in Delhi followed a pattern.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The police violence against student protesters in Delhi

The physical force used by the police against student protesters in New Delhi

Part 2

followed a pattern.

happened in a regular, predictable, and repeating way that has been seen before.

Sentence 12 of 21

English Original

In 2020, a mob entered the JNU campus and attacked students even as the police looked away.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In 2020, a entered the campus

In the year 2020, a large, violent crowd of people went inside the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University

Part 2

and attacked students

and physically assaulted the students there,

Part 3

the police .

at the very same time that the police officers deliberately ignored the situation and did nothing to stop it.

Context and Background

2020 JNU Campus Violence

On January 5, 2020, a masked mob armed with sticks, rods, and acid entered the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in New Delhi. The mob attacked students and teachers, injuring over 39 people and damaging university property. The Delhi Police, who were stationed outside the gates, were heavily criticized for failing to enter the campus promptly to control the situation or arrest the assailants.

Sentence 13 of 21

English Original

No serious investigation or arrests followed.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

No serious investigation or arrests followed.

No proper police inquiry was conducted and nobody was arrested after the attack.

Sentence 14 of 21

English Original

In 2019, personnel of the Delhi Police entered the library of Jamia Millia Islamia and beat up students during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In 2019, personnel of the Delhi Police entered the library of

In the year 2019, staff from the Delhi Police went into the library building of Jamia Millia Islamia university

Part 2

and students

and physically assaulted the students who were inside,

Part 3

during the protests against the .

during the public demonstrations opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Context and Background

2019 Jamia Millia Islamia Police Action

On December 15, 2019, during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the Delhi Police entered the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia. Officers entered the university library and reading rooms, firing tear gas and using lathis on students who were studying. The action resulted in injuries to dozens of students and led to widespread protests across Indian universities protesting police brutality on campus.

Sentence 15 of 21

English Original

The crackdown on protesters demonstrating against recurring paper leaks in various examinations marked a new low in this trend.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The on protesters demonstrating against paper leaks in various examinations

The severe police action taken against students who were protesting against repeated exam question leaks

Part 2

in this trend.

showed the worst and most extreme point of this repeating pattern of police violence.

Sentence 16 of 21

English Original

There is no evidence that the protesters, who included teenagers, families with toddlers, and women, were involved in large-scale violence that warranted the level of police force used.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

There is no evidence

There is no proof or sign

Part 2

that the protesters, who included teenagers, families with , and women,

that the group of protesters — which had young teenagers, parents with small children, and women among them —

Part 3

were involved in large-scale violence

participated in any major or widespread physical fighting

Part 4

that the level of police force used.

which justified or made necessary the severe amount of violence the police used against them.

Sentence 17 of 21

English Original

It is heartening that the Chief Justice of India has clarified that his earlier reluctance to hear the complaints was only technical in nature and that the Court is open to those who seek justice.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

It is

It is encouraging and gives hope

Part 2

that the Chief Justice of India has clarified

that the head judge of the Supreme Court of India has explained

Part 3

that his earlier to hear the complaints was only

that his initial hesitation to listen to the complaints was only due to legal rules or procedures (not because he did not want to help)

Part 4

and that the Court is open to those who seek justice.

and that the Supreme Court is ready to listen to anyone who is looking for a fair trial and justice.

Sentence 18 of 21

English Original

The Court now has before it two petitions documenting the nature and extent of the force used by the police.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The Court now has before it two

The Supreme Court currently has two formal legal requests presented to it

Part 2

documenting the of the force used by the police.

which provide detailed evidence about the type and the amount of physical violence used by the police officers.

Context and Background

Writ Petitions in the Supreme Court

Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, citizens have the right to file writ petitions directly in the Supreme Court for the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights. The two petitions mentioned here were filed by activists and student groups. They sought directions for preserving CCTV footage and bodycam recordings of the incident, and asked for an independent investigation into the excessive force used by the police at Jantar Mantar.

Sentence 19 of 21

English Original

There must be a thorough investigation to find out exactly who was involved and whether the use of force was authorised and proportionate.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

There must be a thorough investigation

It is necessary to conduct a complete and detailed inquiry

Part 2

to find out exactly who was involved

to discover precisely which individuals participated in the violence,

Part 3

and whether the use of force was authorised and .

and to check if the violence used had official permission and was appropriate for the situation.

Context and Background

Doctrine of Proportionate Force

Under Indian administrative and police guidelines, the use of force to control a crowd must follow the principles of necessity and proportionality. Police are required to use the minimum force required to restore order, escalating only if milder methods (like warnings or water cannons) fail. Using excessive force against peaceful citizens violates the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Sentence 20 of 21

English Original

There must be special attention paid to complaints of assaults of a sexual nature and to those targeting women and children.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

There must be special attention paid

It is necessary to give extra focus and care

Part 2

to complaints of of a sexual nature

to the reports and accusations of physical attacks that involved sexual harassment or abuse

Part 3

and to those targeting women and children.

and to the attacks that deliberately focused on or hurt women and kids.

Sentence 21 of 21

English Original

Those found guilt must face the full force of the law.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Those

The individuals who are proven to have committed these crimes

Part 2

must .

must receive the maximum and most severe punishment allowed by the legal system.

Sentence 1 of 21

Sentences Breakdown

Editorial Summary

5-Point Summary

1 The Delhi Police and unidentified individuals used excessive force against peaceful student protesters at Jantar Mantar, violating crowd control protocols.
2 Multiple online video clips have exposed severe police excesses, including physical assaults, harassment of women, and use of weapons like sticks with nails.
3 After initial reluctance, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear petitions documenting the violence, offering a path to justice for the victims.
4 This incident follows a historical pattern of unchecked police violence against students in Delhi, such as at JNU in 2020 and Jamia Millia Islamia in 2019.
5 A thorough, independent investigation is urgently needed to identify the perpetrators, check if the force was authorized, and prosecute the guilty.

Tone of the Editorial

critical

Why this tone?

The editorial strongly condemns the Delhi Police’s excessive use of force against student protesters. Words like “brutality”, “police excesses”, “unleashed violence”, and “new low” clearly reflect a highly disapproving and demanding stance on accountability.

Sentence 1 of 21

The massive use of force by the Delhi Police, and unidentified people, on student protesters in the national capital clearly breached all known protocols of crowd control.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The massive use of force by the Delhi Police, and unidentified people,

The large amount of physical violence used by the Delhi Police and unknown individuals

Part 2

on student protesters in the national capital

against students protesting in New Delhi

Part 3

clearly breached all known protocols of crowd control.

obviously broke all the established rules and guidelines for managing a crowd.

Sentence 2 of 21

After its initial reluctance, the Supreme Court of India has now agreed to hear complaints of police excesses on Monday, July 27.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

After its initial reluctance,

Even though the Court was unwilling or hesitant at first,

Part 2

the Supreme Court of India has now agreed

the highest court in India has accepted the request

Part 3

to hear complaints of police excesses on Monday, July 27.

to examine the accusations of excessive violence used by the police on Monday, July 27.

Sentence 3 of 21

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Meanwhile, multiple video clips that have surfaced online

At the same time, many video recordings that have appeared on the internet

Part 2

show personnel, both in uniform and in normal clothes,

reveal officers, some wearing police uniforms and others in civilian dress,

Part 3

using violence with an apparent intent to harm and terrorise protesters

using physical force with a clear goal of hurting and frightening the student protesters

Part 4

rather than to disperse them.

instead of just making them scatter or leave the area.

Sentence 4 of 21

Some protesters have sustained pellet injuries that the police and the authorities have yet to explain.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Some protesters have sustained pellet injuries

Some of the people protesting have suffered wounds caused by pellet guns

Part 2

that the police and the authorities have yet to explain.

which the police department and government officials have not explained or justified so far.

Sentence 5 of 21

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In one video, an identifiable senior official of the Delhi Police

In one of the videos, a high-ranking officer of the Delhi Police who can be easily recognized

Part 2

is seen slapping a girl who was standing nearby;

is captured on camera slapping a young woman who was just standing close by;

Part 3

in another, an unidentified person in uniform with three stars

in a different video, an unknown person wearing a police uniform with three star badges on the shoulders

Part 4

is seen poking a girl from behind

is shown pushing or poking a young woman from behind

Part 5

while she was walking away.

at the moment she was leaving the spot.

Sentence 6 of 21

In a third video, personnel are seen surrounding a girl, with one of them groping her while others leer and laugh.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In a third video, personnel are seen surrounding a girl,

In a third video clip, police staff are shown standing around a young woman,

Part 2

with one of them groping her

where one of the men is touching her in an inappropriate, sexual way without her consent,

Part 3

while others leer and laugh.

while the other officers look at her with unpleasant, malicious expressions and laugh.

Sentence 7 of 21

Some people not in uniform but wearing helmets are seen in video clips on social media beating protesters.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Some people not in uniform but wearing helmets

Several individuals who are not wearing police uniforms but are wearing helmets on their heads

Part 2

are seen in video clips on social media

are captured in video recordings shared on social media websites

Part 3

beating protesters.

hitting and attacking the students who were protesting.

Sentence 8 of 21

Some have been caught on camera carrying sticks with long nails, while others are seen smashing vehicles.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Some have been caught on camera carrying sticks with long nails,

Some individuals have been filmed holding wooden sticks that had long nails sticking out of them,

Part 2

while others are seen smashing vehicles.

while different people are shown breaking and damaging cars or motorcycles.

Sentence 9 of 21

All this has happened while the protesters were, barring a stray incident or two, peaceful.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

All this has happened

All of these violent actions have taken place

Part 2

while the protesters were, barring a stray incident or two, peaceful.

at a time when the students were peaceful, except for one or two isolated incidents of disturbance.

Sentence 10 of 21

Those who unleashed violence, whether authorised police personnel or vigilantes who infiltrated the student protests, need to be identified, pursued, and held accountable.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Those who unleashed violence,

The people who started or released the physical force and attacks,

Part 2

whether authorised police personnel or vigilantes who infiltrated the student protests,

regardless of whether they were official police officers who had permission, or private groups who secretly entered the student protest to cause trouble,

Part 3

need to be identified, pursued, and held accountable.

must be recognized, chased by the law, and made responsible for their actions.

Sentence 11 of 21

The police violence against student protesters in Delhi followed a pattern.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The police violence against student protesters in Delhi

The physical force used by the police against student protesters in New Delhi

Part 2

followed a pattern.

happened in a regular, predictable, and repeating way that has been seen before.

Sentence 12 of 21

In 2020, a mob entered the JNU campus and attacked students even as the police looked away.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In 2020, a mob entered the JNU campus

In the year 2020, a large, violent crowd of people went inside the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University

Part 2

and attacked students

and physically assaulted the students there,

Part 3

even as the police looked away.

at the very same time that the police officers deliberately ignored the situation and did nothing to stop it.

Sentence 13 of 21

No serious investigation or arrests followed.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

No serious investigation or arrests followed.

No proper police inquiry was conducted and nobody was arrested after the attack.

Sentence 14 of 21

In 2019, personnel of the Delhi Police entered the library of Jamia Millia Islamia and beat up students during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

In 2019, personnel of the Delhi Police entered the library of Jamia Millia Islamia

In the year 2019, staff from the Delhi Police went into the library building of Jamia Millia Islamia university

Part 2

and beat up students

and physically assaulted the students who were inside,

Part 3

during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

during the public demonstrations opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Sentence 15 of 21

The crackdown on protesters demonstrating against recurring paper leaks in various examinations marked a new low in this trend.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The crackdown on protesters demonstrating against recurring paper leaks in various examinations

The severe police action taken against students who were protesting against repeated exam question leaks

Part 2

marked a new low in this trend.

showed the worst and most extreme point of this repeating pattern of police violence.

Sentence 16 of 21

There is no evidence that the protesters, who included teenagers, families with toddlers, and women, were involved in large-scale violence that warranted the level of police force used.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

There is no evidence

There is no proof or sign

Part 2

that the protesters, who included teenagers, families with toddlers, and women,

that the group of protesters — which had young teenagers, parents with small children, and women among them —

Part 3

were involved in large-scale violence

participated in any major or widespread physical fighting

Part 4

that warranted the level of police force used.

which justified or made necessary the severe amount of violence the police used against them.

Sentence 17 of 21

It is heartening that the Chief Justice of India has clarified that his earlier reluctance to hear the complaints was only technical in nature and that the Court is open to those who seek justice.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

It is heartening

It is encouraging and gives hope

Part 2

that the Chief Justice of India has clarified

that the head judge of the Supreme Court of India has explained

Part 3

that his earlier reluctance to hear the complaints was only technical in nature

that his initial hesitation to listen to the complaints was only due to legal rules or procedures (not because he did not want to help)

Part 4

and that the Court is open to those who seek justice.

and that the Supreme Court is ready to listen to anyone who is looking for a fair trial and justice.

Sentence 18 of 21

The Court now has before it two petitions documenting the nature and extent of the force used by the police.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

The Court now has before it two petitions

The Supreme Court currently has two formal legal requests presented to it

Part 2

documenting the nature and extent of the force used by the police.

which provide detailed evidence about the type and the amount of physical violence used by the police officers.

Sentence 19 of 21

There must be a thorough investigation to find out exactly who was involved and whether the use of force was authorised and proportionate.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

There must be a thorough investigation

It is necessary to conduct a complete and detailed inquiry

Part 2

to find out exactly who was involved

to discover precisely which individuals participated in the violence,

Part 3

and whether the use of force was authorised and proportionate.

and to check if the violence used had official permission and was appropriate for the situation.

Sentence 20 of 21

There must be special attention paid to complaints of assaults of a sexual nature and to those targeting women and children.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

There must be special attention paid

It is necessary to give extra focus and care

Part 2

to complaints of assaults of a sexual nature

to the reports and accusations of physical attacks that involved sexual harassment or abuse

Part 3

and to those targeting women and children.

and to the attacks that deliberately focused on or hurt women and kids.

Sentence 21 of 21

Those found guilt must face the full force of the law.

Sentence Breakdown

Part 1

Those found guilt

The individuals who are proven to have committed these crimes

Part 2

must face the full force of the law.

must receive the maximum and most severe punishment allowed by the legal system.

Reading Comprehension

Practice questions based on this editorial

Reading Comprehension - Jantar Mantar Use of Force

Practice reading comprehension questions based on the editorial about the police violence against student protesters at Jantar Mantar.

7 Questions Passing: 70%

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Caught on camera: on the use of force at Jantar Mantar

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