Over 200 Detained at Dadar NEET Protest as Police Block Access to Chaityabhoomi
On Monday, Mumbai Police detained around 200 students and activists who gathered at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar to protest against the central government over alleged National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) irregularities and demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The demonstration was organised under the banner of Mumbai Against Suppression of Students (MASS) in solidarity with protests in Delhi. Despite heavy police deployment and barricading, hundreds of protesters attempted to reach the venue.
To prevent the assembly, police blocked access roads to Chaityabhoomi with barricades. Those attempting to reach the site were detained and transported in police vehicles. This forced demonstrators to split and stage multiple smaller protests in nearby areas.
According to MASS, more than 500 people turned up for the demonstration. Organisers stated that participants held protests wherever they found space before being detained and taken to Sion, Dadar, Mahim, and Worli police stations.
Members of several student organisations participated, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), and Aamchi Padhai Aamchi Ladai. Protesters carried placards and raised slogans against the Centre.
Nupur Haridas, a 23-year-old medical student who has taken the NEET exam twice, joined the protest and demanded the education minister's resignation, noting that one of her friends was detained. Another student, 23-year-old Jenisha Solanki, expressed frustration over the controversy, stating it discouraged her younger sister from pursuing medicine.
Parents and school students also joined the demonstration. Anju Kothari, 55, attended with her daughter, while 15-year-old CBSE student Navya Shamanthul asserted their right to protest.
Organisers alleged that police also visited the residences of several opposition leaders and activists beforehand to prevent participation. Shailendra Kamble, Mumbai district secretary of the CPI(M), claimed police visited the homes of CPI Mumbai secretary Milind Ranade and Progressive Students’ Organisation president advocate Samya Korde.
The Shivaji Park Police Station had denied permission for the protest. Mahendra Pandit, DCP Central Zone 3, confirmed that the process of registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the participating protesters was underway at the Shivaji Park Police Station.
