Fresh clashes erupt near Park Hotel on Sansad Marg as CJP protesters turn unruly, leading to tear gas deployment and stone pelting.
Five police personnel, including two ACPs, injured in the violence; internet services suspended in parts of central Delhi.
CJP volunteers appeal for calm and remove stones from the area as authorities reinforce security around Jantar Mantar.
Tensions escalated once again in the national capital on Thursday, July 23, 2026, as fresh chaos broke out amid the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests. While the main protest site at Jantar Mantar remained relatively peaceful, violence erupted on the Sansad Marg stretch near Park Hotel, where protesters clashed with security forces.
According to Delhi Police, the crowd turned unruly, leading to the firing of tear gas shells. Protesters allegedly pelted stones at police personnel, chasing them on the radial road of Connaught Place. Five police personnel — two Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), one inspector, one head constable, and one constable — were injured in the incident. The stretch from Tolstoy Marg near Janpath to the NDMC Convention Centre saw temporary thinning of visible security deployment before reinforcements arrived in combat gear.
A policeman was reportedly chased and beaten by a section of the crowd. In response, police used loudspeaker appeals from a bus, with CJP volunteers also urging protesters to maintain peace and refrain from stone pelting. Volunteers were seen removing stones from roads and traffic islands around Jantar Mantar to prevent further misuse. The area towards Sansad Marg was cordoned off using riot control vehicles.
Internet services were temporarily suspended in parts of central Delhi as per government instructions to telecom providers. The order covered a 1.5 km radius around Jantar Mantar from Wednesday evening till Thursday morning, later extended amid the unrest.
The CJP agitation, which began with the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on July 20, has seen multiple rounds of clashes, lathi-charges, Metro station closures, and widespread disruptions. Protesters continue to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and reforms in the examination system following alleged NEET irregularities.
This latest flare-up comes as the protest enters its fourth day, with activists like Sonam Wangchuk on hunger strike and broader support from students and opposition leaders. Authorities have reinforced security across central Delhi, while CJP leaders and volunteers are attempting to keep the movement peaceful. The situation remains volatile, with police maintaining a heavy presence to prevent further escalation.
