India's Supreme Court Weighs SIT for Anti-NEET Protest Violence

The Supreme Court of India will hear petitions on Monday regarding allegations of police brutality during nationwide protests over NEET paper leaks and examination irregularities. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant is considering the appointment of a Special Investigation Team, potentially headed by a former judge, to investigate reports of electric batons, pellet guns, and nail-embedded lathis being used against protesters, as well as attacks on police.

The protests began on July 20 with a march in New Delhi led by the Cockroach Janta Party and concluded this past Saturday. The unrest ended following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and government commitments to withdraw FIRs and compensate the families of suicide victims. On July 28, the court previously barred coercive action against students and ordered the release of detainees under 18 without criminal records, while directing states like Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh to preserve digital evidence.

In a coordinated move on August 2, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced it would withdraw all criminal cases against students involved in the anti-NEET demonstrations. School Education Minister Rajmohan stated the decision followed a direct order from Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. State officials will now review police records to identify the specific cases for withdrawal.