Mystery truck parked at Jantar Mantar was in police custody

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jul 29, 2026: Allegations surrounding a truck loaded with stones parked near Jantar Mantar during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) July 20 ’Chalo Sansad’ protest have triggered a political controversy, with the Delhi Police dismissing claims of any conspiracy as "false and misleading."

On the morning of the march, around 6.30 am, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged on X that Delhi Police had stationed a truck carrying stones near the protest venue.

"Truck loaded with stones have been parked at Jantar Mantar. What are the police authorities up to? Are they orchestrating stone-pelting on the peaceful CJP protesters?" Dipke wrote, sharing a video purportedly showing the vehicle near the protest site.

In another post, he claimed the party had received information that authorities were planning to allow "goons" to disrupt the protest and later blame the violence on peaceful demonstrators.

The allegations quickly went viral on social media, with users questioning why a truck carrying construction material had been parked close to the demonstration venue.

The controversy unfolded during CJP-led protests over the NEET-UG paper leak. The agitation concluded after the Centre accepted the party’s demands for accountability, following which Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25.

Days later, an investigation published by an unnamed news portal traced the truck using its registration number. According to the report, the vehicle had been seized by Delhi Police following a road accident on July 16 that injured seven people and resulted in the registration of an FIR. The truck remained under the custody of Parliament Street Police Station.

The report claimed the dumper truck was moved multiple times over the following days — first near the protest site, then to Bhalswa where its load was reportedly removed, later outside the Indian Youth Congress office on Raisina Road, and subsequently to another location. It also said police officials offered differing explanations regarding these movements.

As per the FIR, the accident occurred around 4.15 am on July 16 at the Firoz Shah Road–Kasturba Gandhi Marg intersection in central Delhi. The truck (HR63 E 6865), allegedly being driven rashly, collided with a Maruti Eeco (HR43 D 9778), injuring seven occupants. Both vehicles were subsequently taken to Parliament Street Police Station.

The report quoted Keshav Kumar Sahni, the truck’s last registered owner, as saying the vehicle had remained in police custody since the accident. He added that the dumper, which had been used to transport bricks and stones for construction work, had been sold about two months earlier.

Charan Singh, a relative of the current owner of the damaged van, also confirmed that the truck involved in the accident was carrying bricks and stones when it struck their vehicle.

The investigation further pointed to conflicting explanations from Delhi Police officials. According to the report, one officer said the truck was initially parked outside Parliament Street Police Station and shifted to Bhalswa after the video went viral on July 20. Investigating officer Mohit Bhati reportedly stated that the vehicle had been moved because of space constraints during the protest arrangements, while Sansad Marg SHO Neeraj Kumar maintained that the truck had been unloaded on July 19 and that the videos circulating online were old.

Responding to the controversy, Delhi Police on Tuesday rejected the allegations that the truck had been deliberately placed near Jantar Mantar to provoke violence during the protest.

In an official statement, the police described the claims as "completely baseless" and clarified that the vehicle had been seized on July 16 following a road accident. Owing to limited space at Parliament Street Police Station, it was initially parked nearby for safekeeping.

The police further stated that, in view of the extensive security arrangements for the ’Chalo Sansad’ protest, the truck was unloaded and shifted to a safer location during the early hours of July 20 after due instructions were issued to its owner.

"There is no truth in claims linking the vehicle to any conspiracy against protesters," the statement said, urging the public not to circulate unverified information on social media and to rely on official sources.

The police also said the truck was seized in FIR No. 65/2026 in connection with the July 16 accident involving an Eeco van in which six persons were injured, reiterating that the vehicle’s movement was solely related to administrative and security considerations.