Escalation: Police in India used tear gas on protesters

On July 20, 2026, police in India used tear gas and batons against large crowds protesting repeated leaks of college entrance exams, a direct challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

The demonstrators were largely young people outraged that test papers have leaked frequently. These are high-stakes exams that decide who gets into universities, so leaks are seen as cheating that destroys fairness.

The New York Times described the unrest as one of the biggest challenges to Mr. Modi’s leadership in years.

Police used crowd-control measures — firing tear gas and conducting baton charges — to push back protesters at rally sites, according to the report.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources