Patna NEET leak protests: Cops arrest 56, identify 117 people day after violence
A day after violent anti-NEET paper leak protests rocked Patna, Bihar Police intensified its crackdown by arresting 56 people, identifying 117 protesters and releasing their
A day after violent anti-NEET paper leak protests rocked Patna, Bihar Police intensified its crackdown by arresting 56 people, identifying 117 protesters and releasing their photographs to aid their arrest. Police have also registered FIRs against 268 named accused and around 2,500 unidentified persons across three police stations, signalling a wider investigation into the clashes that erupted during Wednesday's demonstration. The protests in Patna were part of the wider agitation over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, which has also witnessed demonstrations in Delhi and other parts of the country. Read Full Story In the Bihar capital, hundreds of students marched demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the examination controversy. Protesters also raised slogans against the Centre and condemned the police action against demonstrators in Delhi earlier this week.
The march, led largely by student activists, began peacefully but descended into violence as protesters attempted to move towards the high-security government zone. Police had erected barricades to prevent the procession from advancing. As demonstrators refused to disperse, security personnel used water cannons, tear gas shells and batons to push back the crowd. The confrontation escalated with incidents of stone-pelting, injuries to police personnel and damage to property. A section of protesters allegedly broke through security barricades and reached the BJP's Bihar headquarters, where stones were thrown, damaging several vehicles. Police later stepped up deployment around the Secretariat and other sensitive locations to prevent protesters from entering the restricted VVIP zone. According to the police, FIRs have been lodged at Kotwali, Gandhi Maidan and Sachivalaya police stations.
Kotwali police registered a case against 85 named and 1,000 unidentified persons, arresting 45 people. Gandhi Maidan police booked 88 named and 500 unidentified persons, with one arrest made so far. Sachivalaya police named 95 accused and 1,000 unidentified persons, while 10 people have been arrested in connection with the case. Officials said those yet to be identified are being traced using CCTV footage, video recordings and other evidence collected from the protest sites. More arrests are expected as the identification process continues. In view of the unrest, Bihar Police Headquarters has cancelled the leave of all police personnel to ensure adequate deployment across the state. PROTESTS IN KATIHAR Meanwhile, similar protests were reported from Katihar, where hundreds of students gathered outside the district collectorate over the NEET paper leak issue.
The BriefWire