Protesters, petrol pump, police... and one woman

The national capital has seen heavy clashes between Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters and Delhi Police personnel even as activist Sonam Wangchuk continued his hunger strike to demand educational reform.

CJP protest in Delhi: Pictures show you what happened on July 20, 2026

The area around Janpath station of the Delhi Metro saw widespread protests, on July 20, 2026, along with repeated lathi-charge by the Delhi Police. 

While on the site on July 20, 2026, The Hindu came across a petrol pump. A Bharat Petroleum fuel station. The signs of violence were visible. 

On July 21, 2026, The Hindu visited the spot again. The shattered glass still existed. The pump is also a vehicle detailing studio and a coffee shop owned by Siddharth and Sarvgun Puri (names changed). The incident happened two days before the inauguration of their store.

Upon being asked for proof, Mr. Siddharth, 30, pulled up CCTV videos on his phone.

CJP’s ‘night vigil’ at Jantar Mantar: In pictures

He said that the violence “started at 6:28 p.m.” and till then they were “providing first aid” to all, along with “washroom services”. Siddharth says “till 5.30-6 p.m.” it was all “peaceful”. 

Within four hours, the scene had changed.

The Hindu asked the owners if they had reached out to the police. Mr. Siddharth said that they had gone to file an FIR, and was provided with the number of the investigating officer (IO). He added that he will now file an “online FIR”. 

One person against the violence 

After talking to the employees of the petrol pump who were present at the site during the incident, The Hindu found out that when the chaos began, all of them sought safety and shelter.

Except one woman. 

S., 40, was the only one who did not run. This has been corroborated by her colleagues.

“Bache protest kar rhe the. Police ne unpar lathi charge kar diya. Bache idhar udhar bhaage, (Kids were protesting, the police lathi-charged on them. Kids ran here and there),” she said.

“Kuch bache thak chuke the toh woh baith gaye. (Some kids were tired, and they sat down),” she said pointing to a spot on the ground inside the petrol pump.

“Police jab andar aayi hai lathi charge karti hui aur unhone yahan bhi bachon ko maarna shuru kara toh woh udhar bhaag gaye. Aur jab udhar se saare bache aaye bhaage hue, jahan se bhi laaye the pathar toh police vaale idhar bhaage hain”(pointing towards inside the pump premises (When the police came inside doing lathi charge, they also started beating up the kids. So (kids) ran. When the kids brought back stones from wherever they had procured, that is when the police personnel ran here).” 

“Woh pathar unke maar rhe the woh, lekin woh phir achanak yahan bhi lag gye. (They were throwing stones at them but it also hit here),” said S. while recounting how the window pane got broken by stones thrown by the protesters.

They were meant for the police personnel and inadvertently hit the window panes of the pump, she added.

“Mein toh wahin khadi ho kar rokti rahi. Baaki toh sab chup hi gaye the, lekin merse nahin jaaya gaya ki bachein hain kahin gir pad ke lag na jaaye. Vaise hi itni chote khaa chuke hain woh. (I kept standing there and stopping them. Everyone else had already hidden, but I could not leave because they are kids; they might get hurt after falling. They had already suffered such wounds).” 

“Ab mein medicines rakhti hoon apne saath (I keep medicines with myself),” S. said, a day after the incident. She showed The Hindu the medicines that she carries in her pocket and the ones she said she used to “treat the kids”. 

Upon being asked the reason for her courage against bipartisan violence. S. replied with just one sentence.

“Kyunki mein maa hoon. Mere bhi do bache hain. (I also have two kids. Because I am a mother).”