Bihar Orders Immediate Drop of FIRs and Release of NEET Protesters

The Bihar government on Monday announced the complete withdrawal of all criminal cases and First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against demonstrators during the statewide NEET paper-leak protests, directing police to immediately release all detained individuals and guarantee immunity from future prosecution.

The directive, issued by Special Secretary Kshatranil Singh of the Home Department, applies to all actions related to demonstrations held across Bihar prior to 6:00 PM on July 26, 2026. State authorities confirmed that legal machinery has been set in motion to quash existing FIRs, formal complaints, and show-cause notices without exception.

The state's decision follows an ultimatum from Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leadership warning of renewed nationwide agitation after reports surfaced that student protesters were being detained despite a negotiated truce with the central government.

What we can verify

• Blanket Case Withdrawal: State Home Department orders mandate the immediate legal dismissal of every FIR, criminal complaint, and show-cause notice filed in connection with NEET-UG protests occurring before 6:00 PM on July 26, 2026. — The Indian Express; The New Indian Express
• Detainee Release: Police headquarters logged 694 total detentions following statewide clashes on July 25. While 339 minors and students were released after initial verification, the remaining 355 individuals remanded to judicial custody will now be released expeditiously under the new order. — The Indian Express; The New Indian Express
• Future Immunity Guaranteed: The state order explicitly bars all government and police authorities from taking direct or indirect punitive or retaliatory action in the future against named participants. — The Indian Express
• Casualty & Damage Record: Official state logs report 91 police personnel injured during July 25 confrontations, including the SPs of Siwan and Sitamarhi and the SHO of Patna's Gandhi Maidan. Thirteen civilians were injured, 14 government vehicles were damaged, and one vehicle was torched. — The Indian Express
• Siwan Firing Action: Constable Abhishek Kumar remains suspended for discharging an AK-47 assault rifle during protests at JP Chowk in Siwan, while a joint inquiry supervised by the Commissioner and DIG investigates separate injuries sustained by three local youths. — The New Indian Express

What remains unverified

• Exact Discharge Schedule: The day-by-day court timeline required to formalize the release of all 355 remanded individuals across multiple district jails remains unspecified. — [unverified]
• Parallel Inter-State Actions: Whether neighboring states cited by CJP leaders, including West Bengal and Assam, will issue matching formal administrative orders dropping protest-related FIRs has not been confirmed by those state home departments. — [unverified]