Bihar exam protests turn violent in three districts after Jantar Mantar rally

Lead

On 23 July 2026, protests by students and aspirants against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations turned violent in three Bihar districts — Katihar, Darbhanga and Begusarai — according to a report by The Indian Express.

The unrest follows a day after a solidarity march from Gandhi Maidan to Raj Bhavan in Patna organised in support of the ongoing Jantar Mantar student movement in Delhi.

What we can verify

• Protests occurred in Katihar, Darbhanga and Begusarai on 23 July 2026.
• Demonstrators were demanding action on alleged paper leaks and irregularities in competitive exams (including NEET).
• In Katihar, stone pelting was reported.
• In Begusarai, police used a mild lathicharge to disperse crowds.
• In Darbhanga, stone pelting and baton charge were reported; several police personnel were injured.
• The Bihar protests are linked by organisers to the broader student agitation at Jantar Mantar, Delhi.

What remains unverified

• Exact number of protesters (report says "thousands" — unverified).
• Number of injured protesters or civilians (unverified).
• Number of injured police personnel beyond "several" (unverified).
• Whether any arrests were made (unverified).
• Direct organisational link between the Bihar protests and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) — the report mentions solidarity with the Jantar Mantar movement but does not name CJP (unverified).

All unverified figures are marked per CJP News truth-only policy. Updates will be added as independent confirmation arrives.