Delhi Police is considering passport cancellation for those directly involved in the violence during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests this week, according to the police sources as reported by PTI.
The move comes days after clashes broke out between protesters and security personnel near Parliament Street and at Jantar Mantar, where the CJP has been holding demonstrations over the NEET paper leak deaths and the resignation demand against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
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The CJP protests began after multiple student suicides were reported following alleged leaks in the NEET examination process. The party has been demanding Pradhan's resignation and a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased aspirants.
Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest with an indefinite hunger strike, which drew support from opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi. Wangchuk was later forcibly removed from the protest site by police, a move that triggered the "Chalo Sansad" march towards Parliament.
According to Delhi Police, protesters attempted to breach barricades near Parliament Street without the required permission At least 118 police personnel were injured and 15-20 government vehicles damaged, police said. Around 60 protesters were also injured, according to hospital sources, with Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital alone recording 65 medico-legal cases.
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The Delhi Lieutenant Governor has separately authorised Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar to exercise preventive detention powers under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, for three months, from July 19 to October 18, according to an Extraordinary Delhi Gazette notification. The NSA allows authorities to detain individuals without formal charges for periods ranging from 12 days to 12 months if their activities are deemed prejudicial to public order or national security.
The Police clarified that the order is a routine renewal issued every three months and not a fresh measure linked to the CJP protests, noting that the renewal was processed on July 7, before the demonstrations intensified.
