India, July 21 -- On Monday, tens of thousands of agitators marched to Parliament demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over repeated paper leaks. The protesters toppled barricades and moved closer, prompting the sealing of the gates of the Parliament complex for the first time since the 2001 Parliament attack. Commandos took up positions with automatic weapons.

The Delhi Police said the planned but unauthorised march was handled "professionally," but visuals showed security personnel in full riot gear thrashing young unarmed protesters.

Vijay Daniel, a protester who came from Hyderabad to join the march, said the violence erupted moments before it was to begin. "We were just getting into the bus to leave f...