NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court has ordered authorities to release minors detained during protests over examination paper leaks and directed officials to preserve evidence linked to allegations of excessive police force. Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly issued the interim directions while hearing petitions filed by student protesters and activists. The petitions accuse police and paramilitary personnel of using excessive force, including baton charges and other crowd-control measures, against demonstrators. The court also directed authorities to preserve all available surveillance material from the protests. This includes CCTV recordings, drone footage and body-camera video. Officials were further told to protect the personal and digital information of protesters and ensure that it is not publicly disclosed. The court reportedly barred authorities from taking coercive action against protesters while the matter remains under consideration. Justice Kant stressed the importance of an independent investigation into allegations of mistreatment. He said accountability must be established if wrongdoing occurred. The government has defended the security forces’ response, describing the measures as necessary for crowd control. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that around 250 police officers were also injured during the unrest. He reportedly said the government had no objection to an investigation into allegations involving protesters. The protests erupted after question papers for a national medical college entrance examination were leaked. The controversy triggered demonstrations in New Delhi and several other parts of India. Protesters demanded reforms to the examination system, withdrawal of cases against demonstrators and compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the controversy. The demonstrations ended after the education minister resigned and the government agreed to several demands raised by the protesters. Meanwhile, the Indian government has proposed tougher penalties for examination paper leaks. Under the proposed amendments, the maximum prison sentence could be increased to 10 years, while fines could rise to more than $1 million. The government says the proposed changes are intended to strengthen the examination system, speed up legal proceedings and restore confidence among students and young people. The issue has also created political tension in parliament. Opposition lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns about the police response to the protests and demanded accountability. In several cities, clashes between demonstrators and security personnel led to tear gas and baton charges. Authorities also suspended a police officer in an eastern state after he allegedly fired rounds into the air while attempting to disperse student protesters. Concerns have additionally emerged over the use of artificial intelligence-powered surveillance during demonstrations. Activists have questioned the deployment of police surveillance equipment capable of providing wide-area monitoring of protest gatherings. A protest group that helped lead the movement has claimed that hundreds of students were arrested in different states. However, the figure has not been independently verified.