New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after a dramatic face-off during the party's march towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

Videos that surfaced on social media showed police personnel surrounding Rahul Gandhi as he resisted being taken into custody near the Prime Minister's residence.

The recordings appeared to show officers using force while attempting to detain the Leader of the Opposition, before he was eventually escorted into a police bus.

The visuals quickly went viral, with Congress accusing the government of suppressing democratic protests.

Several other Congress MPs and leaders were also detained as police prevented protesters from marching towards Lok Kalyan Marg. The party claimed some of its leaders were taken to an undisclosed location after being removed from the protest site.

Rahul Gandhi's appeal before detention

Moments before his detention, Rahul Gandhi appealed to citizens across the country to join the Congress protest, describing the alleged paper leak as an attack on India's youth.

'An attack on students is an attack on every Indian family. PM Modi believes he can get away without answers, without consequences. He cannot. Not this time. I ask every patriotic Indian who believes our students deserve justice to join us in dharna in front of the Prime Minister's residence. The voice of India's students will not be ignored,' he said in a post on X.

Congress national spokesperson Gaurav Pandhi later alleged that the party leaders had been detained outside the Prime Minister's Office and shifted to an undisclosed location.

'We have been detained outside the PMO and taken to an undisclosed location. LoP Rahul Gandhi and several other Congress leaders are also being detained by the cowardly Narendra Modi government. Total resistance. We will not tolerate the brutal treatment of India's students,' Pandhi posted.

Centre defends police action

Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala said the detentions would only intensify the party's movement against the Centre.

'This is not the end; it marks the beginning of a new revolution under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. They may imprison us, lathi-charge us, or mistreat us, but Modi ji will have to answer to the millions of sons and daughters of India who have lost their future due to paper leaks. This revolution will now blaze into a mighty inferno and will not be stopped,' he said.

The Centre, however, defended the police action. Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh criticised Rahul Gandhi's decision to continue with the protest despite discussions with the administration.

He said the Leader of the Opposition's conduct did not conform to democratic norms and called it 'unfortunate' that Gandhi allegedly went back on his word. According to Singh, the Union Home Secretary had informed Gandhi that the proposed venue was unsuitable for a sit-in protest, but Gandhi maintained that it was his prerogative to demonstrate wherever he chose.

The confrontation marks the latest escalation in the political battle over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, with the Congress stepping up pressure on the Centre and demanding accountability over the issue.