Delhi Police on Tuesday forcibly removed Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders from a sit-in protest near the Prime Minister’s residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Dramatic visuals show Rahul Gandhi lying on the road, refusing to move, before several policemen lifted him and carried him into a bus.

Photos and videos that emerged shortly after the detention clearly show blood near his nose. Multiple news channels and social media posts highlighted the injury sustained during the pushing and lifting.

The protest, joined by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav and other MPs, was organised in support of student demonstrators and the Cockroach Janta Party agitation over alleged NEET paper leaks and police action on youth protesters. Leaders had been sitting there for around three hours, demanding a parliamentary debate and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Police and Rapid Action Force personnel eventually cleared the high-security zone. Rahul Gandhi resisted by lying flat on the ground. Officers lifted him by the arms and legs and loaded him onto the bus. Similar force was used on other leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi.

PTI released footage from inside the bus showing Rahul Gandhi and other detained leaders. The visuals of the Leader of Opposition being physically carried away, followed by images of the nosebleed, quickly went viral and triggered sharp reactions from the opposition.

The incident adds a new layer of tension to the ongoing student protests and the political confrontation over the education system during the Monsoon Session.