New Delhi: The police have used water cannons extensively to disperse protesters. However, in 2026, their role appears to have taken an unexpected turn. In several student agitations, protesters have been seen asking for water cannons and even enjoying the spray, turning what is usually a method of crowd control into something resembling a rain dance.
From New Delhi to Bihar to Jharkhand, student protests have created a new relationship between water cannons and protesters.
“There seems to be very little pressure in the water cannon. There may have been corruption even in the water supply. This should be investigated,” said a student at the ongoing student protests in Jharkhand, while a weak stream of water can be seen coming from the cannon behind the crowd.
Another student questioned the quality of the water cannons and where the authorities have brought them.
Students and job aspirants have been protesting in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) since 25 July.
Students’ demands include transparency in recruitment examinations, reforms in the functioning of JPSC and JSSC, cancellation of several examinations and an independent investigation by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
On Monday evening, as thousands of students marched toward the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi, police used lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters after the situation escalated.
In another video from the Jharkhand protest site, a student can be seen covered in soap foam, using water from the cannon to take a bath.
“It’s Hemant Soren’s birthday today, so I thought to take a proper bath,” the protester says, referring to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
“It’s very hot, so the government has arranged water for us”, joked another protester, cheering the one taking a bath with soap on the road.
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Water cannon demand
On 23 July, thousands of protesters in Bihar’s Katihar, Darbhanga and Begusarai took to the streets against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. In Patna, students protesting over the NEET paper leak were seen asking police about the arrangements for water cannons and tear gas.
When police eventually used water cannons to disperse the crowd, instead of moving away, protesters were seen dancing together under the powerful streams of water, with the song “Blue Hai Paani Paani” and Bhojpuri songs playing in the background.
“There is no arrangement for tear gas?” a student can be heard asking police officers at the protest site.
“There isn’t even a water cannon. It’s very hot, and there is no arrangement for water”, another student commented in front of the officers.
Several videos from the protest showed protesters taking off their shirts and T-shirts and dancing in the water sprayed by the police water cannons.
Videos showing protesters enjoying and dancing under water-cannon sprays have been circulated multiple times across different social media platforms, often with different captions and claims. Users have repeatedly reshared the videos and added their own comments.
“Bihar folks can even handle an atom bomb,” reads one comment on X accompanying a video of protesters dancing under water cannons.
“Jharkhand is not for beginners,” reads another comment shared with a similar video from the Jharkhand protests.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)