NEW DELHI, 20 August 2026(News Desk): India’s Supreme Court on Thursday constituted a panel to investigate allegations of police violence and attacks on security personnel during youth protests that forced the education minister to resign last month. The protests were triggered by the leak of question papers for a national medical college entrance examination. Demonstrations initially began in New Delhi and later spread to other cities after tens of thousands of protesters attempting to march towards Parliament were met with tear gas and baton charges.According to the court’s order, the panel will be headed by a former Supreme Court judge and will include two other retired judges and two retired police chiefs. The panel will investigate allegations that female protesters faced targeted violence, harassment and molestation, while other demonstrators allegedly suffered serious injuries at the hands of security personnel.The court’s order came in response to petitions filed by student protesters and activists, who alleged that police and paramilitary forces used excessive force, including pellet guns.
Police, however, told the court earlier this week that security personnel used force only after protesters resorted to violence. Police also alleged that anti-social elements posing as aggrieved students caused serious injuries to security personnel. The Supreme Court did not set a specific deadline for the inquiry but directed the panel to submit an interim report as soon as possible. The protests were considered one of the most serious political crises faced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his third term and ended after then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.The government subsequently agreed to introduce examination reforms and provide compensation to the families of students who died by suicide following the examination paper leaks.