Police Crackdown on National NEET Paper Leak Protests

Thousands of students and activists, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), launched a nationwide series of demonstrations demanding systemic education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scandal. The movement escalated on July 20 during the 'Chalo Sansad' march in New Delhi, where police used tear gas, batons, and lathi charges to stop protesters from breaching Parliament barricades. These events followed the forcible removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from a 21-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

Law enforcement responded with sweeping legal actions. Delhi Police registered 10 FIRs, while Mumbai Police filed 13 FIRs and booked approximately 400 people for unlawful assemblies in areas such as Shivaji Park and Chembur. In Mumbai, prohibitory orders were issued from July 23 to August 6 to prevent further gatherings.

The crackdown drew condemnation from various sectors. The Supreme Court Bar Association petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a judicial inquiry into police excesses, and the Delhi High Court issued notices to the government and police to preserve CCTV footage. Public figures including actors Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher expressed solidarity with the students, though Kher cautioned the youth against political hijacking. Despite ongoing government talks, protesters and opposition leaders continue to demand ministerial accountability for institutional failures that allegedly impacted 2.2 million students.