NEET Paper Leak Protests Spread Nationally: Over 150 Detained in Mumbai, Clashes in Bihar

Student demonstrations over paper leaks and recent police crackdowns in Delhi spread to major cities across India on Thursday, July 23. Protesters gathered in Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam, and Tamil Nadu to demand systematic changes to national entrance exams.

In Mumbai, police detained more than 150 student activists at various sites, including Mankhurd, Darukhana, and Mumbai University's Kalina campus, for violating prohibitory orders. Local student coordinators reported that small decentralized gatherings were swiftly halted by security personnel, bringing the total number of police cases registered in Mumbai to 17.

Clashes and Marches in Bihar and Guwahati

In Bihar, marches organized in Katihar, Darbhanga, and Begusarai against exam malpractices encountered police intervention. Clashes occurred in Katihar and Darbhanga, while Begusarai police used minor lathicharge to clear the roads. Darbhanga District Magistrate Kaushal Kumar confirmed that the situation was resolved and four to five persons were detained.

Additionally, students gathered in Guwahati to express solidarity with Jantar Mantar protesters, calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In Tamil Nadu, student groups held demonstrations seeking the complete abolition of the NEET structure.

What we can verify

• Mumbai Police detained over 150 demonstrators on Thursday and filed two new FIRs for violating assembly restrictions. — The Indian Express
• Marches in Katihar, Begusarai, and Darbhanga led to clashes and police lathicharges, with four to five detentions confirmed by Darbhanga DM Kaushal Kumar. — The Indian Express
• Solidarity protests occurred in Guwahati, Assam, demanding a resolution to the paper leak deadlock. — The Indian Express

What remains unverified

• The total number of student injuries across Bihar district hospital registers remains [unverified] due to incomplete district health reports.