NEET stir: Congress demands unconditional release of detained students, withdrawal of FIRs
Advertisement
Mumbai, July 23 : The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the Director General of Police (DGP) Sadanand Date and the Mumbai Commissioner of Police (CP), alleging widespread illegal detentions, privacy violations, and police high-handedness against young students across the city in particular and also rest of Maharashtra.
The Congress has demanded an immediate and unconditional release of all detained students, complete withdrawal of all "fabricated and retaliatory" FIRs filed between July 20 and July 22, 2026, a thorough enquiry and immediate suspension of police officers involved in unauthorised phone searches and home detentions and strict instructions to cease pressuring or intimidating students and their families.
MPCC President Harshvardhan Sapkal, who was accompanied by former minister Naseem Khan, party MLA Bhai Jagtap and party office bearer Dhananjay Shinde, raised serious concerns regarding the detention of hundreds of youth aged 16 to 30.
According to the memorandum, the students were peacefully raising their voices against systemic issues and chaos in the national education system before being subjected to harsh police action.
Over 500 to 700 students were allegedly picked up by the police from various locations across Mumbai, including metro stations, public roads, and even their homes, before many could even reach the protest venue.
The Congress chief stated that on July 22, 2026, no curfew or prohibitory orders under Section 144 were active in Mumbai. Despite this, police acted on suspicion alone and registered false First Information Reports (FIRs) against students at multiple police stations, including Shivaji Park, Dharavi, and Chembur.
The state Congress party in the memorandum alleged that police officers forcibly inspected the personal mobile phones of students without court orders or legal authority.
Students were reportedly forced to share their "live location" via mobile devices, violating their fundamental constitutional rights.
The party claimed that 200 to 300 students remain detained in several police stations, including Dharavi, Mahim, Juhu, Chembur, and Dadar.
"Maharashtra is governed by the rule of law, and such police high-handedness will not be tolerated. If the administration fails to intervene immediately, the Congress party will stand firmly behind the students and launch an intense state wide agitation," said Sapkal.
The memorandum highlighted that peaceful protest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution, warning that treating youth like criminals threatens their future education, employment prospects, and overseas opportunities—especially given that several minors and young women are among those booked.
"While angry youth have taken to the streets demanding justice over paper leak incidents, the behavior of the police has been completely contrary to their motto of ‘Sadrakshanaya Khalanigrahanaya (To protect the good and punish the evil)'. Police are resorting to hooliganism and indiscriminately lathi-charging young children and female students. They are attempting to crush the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest by using brute force, which must stop immediately. The Congress party will not tolerate this "Police Raj" in Maharashtra," declared Sapkal.
He further noted that a video surfacing today raises serious suspicions about whether the drug racket in the state is being run with police complicity. Sapkal demanded that the police officer seen threatening students with false drug charges be immediately dismissed from service, arrested, and thoroughly investigated.
According to Sapkal, the DGP and the Police Commissioner assured the delegation that an enquiry into the officer's conduct is underway and appropriate action will be taken based on the report. They also assured that necessary instructions would be issued to all District Superintendents of Police across the state.
The Congress has demanded an immediate and unconditional release of all detained students, complete withdrawal of all "fabricated and retaliatory" FIRs filed between July 20 and July 22, 2026, a thorough enquiry and immediate suspension of police officers involved in unauthorised phone searches and home detentions and strict instructions to cease pressuring or intimidating students and their families.
MPCC President Harshvardhan Sapkal, who was accompanied by former minister Naseem Khan, party MLA Bhai Jagtap and party office bearer Dhananjay Shinde, raised serious concerns regarding the detention of hundreds of youth aged 16 to 30.
According to the memorandum, the students were peacefully raising their voices against systemic issues and chaos in the national education system before being subjected to harsh police action.
Over 500 to 700 students were allegedly picked up by the police from various locations across Mumbai, including metro stations, public roads, and even their homes, before many could even reach the protest venue.
The Congress chief stated that on July 22, 2026, no curfew or prohibitory orders under Section 144 were active in Mumbai. Despite this, police acted on suspicion alone and registered false First Information Reports (FIRs) against students at multiple police stations, including Shivaji Park, Dharavi, and Chembur.
The state Congress party in the memorandum alleged that police officers forcibly inspected the personal mobile phones of students without court orders or legal authority.
Students were reportedly forced to share their "live location" via mobile devices, violating their fundamental constitutional rights.
The party claimed that 200 to 300 students remain detained in several police stations, including Dharavi, Mahim, Juhu, Chembur, and Dadar.
"Maharashtra is governed by the rule of law, and such police high-handedness will not be tolerated. If the administration fails to intervene immediately, the Congress party will stand firmly behind the students and launch an intense state wide agitation," said Sapkal.
The memorandum highlighted that peaceful protest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution, warning that treating youth like criminals threatens their future education, employment prospects, and overseas opportunities—especially given that several minors and young women are among those booked.
"While angry youth have taken to the streets demanding justice over paper leak incidents, the behavior of the police has been completely contrary to their motto of ‘Sadrakshanaya Khalanigrahanaya (To protect the good and punish the evil)'. Police are resorting to hooliganism and indiscriminately lathi-charging young children and female students. They are attempting to crush the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest by using brute force, which must stop immediately. The Congress party will not tolerate this "Police Raj" in Maharashtra," declared Sapkal.
He further noted that a video surfacing today raises serious suspicions about whether the drug racket in the state is being run with police complicity. Sapkal demanded that the police officer seen threatening students with false drug charges be immediately dismissed from service, arrested, and thoroughly investigated.
According to Sapkal, the DGP and the Police Commissioner assured the delegation that an enquiry into the officer's conduct is underway and appropriate action will be taken based on the report. They also assured that necessary instructions would be issued to all District Superintendents of Police across the state.
Advertisement