What began as a protest over the NEET paper leak controversy turned into a day of chaos, with journalists alleging assault while covering clashes at Jantar Mantar.
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A journalist covering the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has alleged that he was assaulted by protesters during the violence that broke out at the demonstration.
Dev Kotak, a reporter with Times Now, said he had been reporting from the protest site for the past 23 days. According to him, the attack happened while tensions were rising between protesters and the police.
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Dev Kotak, a reporter with Times Now, was attacked by protestors at Jantar Mantar. It’s absolutely unfair.
Having covered the @Cockroachisback protest for days now,this unruly behaviour towards some channels is uncalled for.
A reporter is not at fault.
This is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/D3S6l9EBySAdvertisement
— Hemani Bhandari (@HemaniBhandari) July 21, 2026
Kotak claimed that protesters surrounded him while shouting “Godi media” slogans. He alleged that he was punched and kicked repeatedly from different directions. He also said that his clothes were torn during the incident and that people in the crowd threw water bottles and other objects at him.
His allegations surfaced as several journalists reported facing hostility while covering the protest.
Following the incident, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das publicly condemned the alleged assault on the journalist.
In a statement shared on social media, Das wrote, “We strongly condemn this violence against Dev. He is a fantastic reporter. No one should be resorting to such violence, no matter how much the Police instigates them. Sorry brother Dev. We appeal for peace and calm.”
We strongly condemn this violence against Dev. He is a fantastic reporter. No one should be resorting to such violence, no matter how much the Police instigates them. Sorry brother Dev. We appeal for peace and calm. https://t.co/VbY9uDdnOX
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) July 21, 2026
The alleged attack was not limited to one reporter. Times Now, ABP News and journalists from other media organisations also claimed they were assaulted, intimidated or harassed while reporting from the protest site.
Several reporters said they faced aggressive behaviour from sections of the crowd as they tried to cover developments on the ground.
A video circulating on social media also appears to show a woman journalist being dragged by protesters during the unrest.
The violence took place during a large CJP protest held on July 20, 2026, in central Delhi. Hundreds of protesters had gathered at Jantar Mantar to demand resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET paper leak controversy.
The protest began peacefully with demonstrators assembling at designated protest site before starting their planned march.
However, the situation changed when Delhi Police placed barricades around Jantar Mantar, preventing the protesters from moving ahead with the march.
This led to clashes between protesters and police personnel. Police used tear gas shells and carried out a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd after tensions escalated.
The confrontation left both protesters and police personnel injured.
Videos from the scene show security personnel using force against protesters during the clashes. At the same time, Delhi Police has maintained that its personnel were also attacked by members of the crowd.
The incident has triggered competing claims over how violence unfolded. Videos from protest continue to circulate across social media.
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