The Delhi Police have formally responded to allegations surrounding the violence during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) student demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20, terming claims that a woman protestor sustained gunshot wounds completely false and baseless. According to law enforcement authorities, official medical records from RML Hospital confirm no evidence of firearm-related trauma. However, injured student Nutan Toppo from Ranchi has presented a contrasting account, accusing administrative authorities of apathy while asserting that her right ear suffered severe physical damage during police intervention.
Delhi Police Refute Firing Claims and Outline Medical Evidence
Addressing the allegations arising from the July 20 NEET paper leak protest, senior officers of the Delhi Police clarified that no firearms were discharged by security personnel at the demonstration site. Official statements indicate that following the incident, the injured woman evaluated at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital underwent standard examination. The Medicolegal Case (MLC) document generated by attending physicians at RML Hospital contained no entry indicating gunshot injuries or ballistic trauma.
Police officials explained that after leaving RML Hospital, the woman subsequently obtained a separate MLC from a private healthcare facility in Gurugram. The examining doctor at the private hospital recorded the term gunshot injury accompanied by a question mark on the medical certificate. Law enforcement maintains that this ambiguous entry formed the basis of unfounded rumors, emphasizing that since no shots were fired during the protest, the question of gunshot injury does not arise. The police department announced plans to issue a comprehensive formal statement detailing these findings.
Student Nutan Toppo Details the Incident and Accuses Authorities of Apathy
Offering her personal account of the events, Nutan Toppo, a student hailing from Ranchi, voiced strong disappointment over the official response to the incident. She explained that she had traveled alone from Gurugram to Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with the student movement against the NEET paper leak. As tension escalated during the rally, law enforcement officers initiated a lathi-charge and deployed tear gas shells to disperse the assembled crowd, triggering widespread panic.
Seeking safety from the chaos, Toppo retreated toward a public park near Rajiv Chowk where several other demonstrators had gathered. She recalled seeing police personnel aiming weapons toward the group shortly before a heavy object struck the exterior of her right ear with significant force. Toppo emphasized that a standard tear gas canister impact would not have caused such extensive external structural damage to her ear. She further expressed grievance that no government official or administrative authority has reached out to offer assistance or inquire about her medical recovery.
Calls for Independent Inquiry and Ongoing Commitment to Student Issues
Demanding accountability for the action taken against student demonstrators on July 20, Toppo urged government authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into the event. She asserted that any police personnel found guilty of excessive force or misconduct should face strict disciplinary and legal consequences.
Toppo noted that the protest was called off after the central government agreed to address the CJP's key demands and following the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, as per statements from organizers. Looking ahead, she affirmed her readiness to participate in future demonstrations concerning youth and educational welfare, while appealing to policymakers to resolve student grievances with greater empathy to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
