Over 400 Held in Mumbai NEET Protests; Leaders Secure Releases
The police detained more than 400 protesters in Mumbai on Wednesday during demonstrations demanding action over the alleged NEET paper leak. The detentions occurred at two locations — Shivaji Park in Dadar and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Udyan Chowk in Chembur — where gatherings had been organised without prior permission in violation of prohibitory orders.
At Shivaji Park, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mahendra Pandit said around 200 protesters were initially taken into custody from a crowd of about 1,500. Later, a larger group was dispersed without further detentions. In Chembur, Zone VI DCP Sameer Shaikh stated that approximately 200 individuals were separated from a gathering of 700–800 and detained.
Among those detained were actor Ayesha Khan and stand-up comedians Abish Matthew and Raunaq Rajani, who were later released. Khan shared videos on social media alleging she was detained despite not raising slogans or carrying placards, saying she had arrived to express solidarity.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray visited the protest site at Shivaji Park and later the Dadar police station. Following their intervention, several detainees were released, though police did not specify how many. Congress leaders were also briefly detained and released earlier.
Police said legal proceedings have been initiated against those detained for violating prohibitory orders and under other applicable laws. Cases have been registered at the respective police stations.
Some prospective participants expressed fear of detention. A 22-year-old creative professional, Prisha, said the sight of police made her worry about the protest turning unsafe. Another attendee, Alti, urged organisers to have legal structures in place. Chhavi Arora, a freelancer, noted that many messaged asking if it was safe to attend.
Security remained tight across Mumbai, with additional deployments after a similar protest in Delhi. A senior police officer said adequate force had been deployed.
