‘Withdraw All FIRs’: PUCL Demands Action After Students Allege Police Brutality During NEET Protests

Patna: People`s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Bihar on Saturday demanded withdrawal of all FIRs registered against protesters in the NEET question paper leak in Bihar on July 22 and 25 through a fast-track process.

Earlier, Bihar government officially announced a complete withdrawal of all criminal cases, FIRs, and show-cause notices registered against individuals participating in the NEET-UG question paper leak protests before 6 pm on July 26.   

PUCL made these demands after students and young protesters, who allegedly faced police brutality during and after demonstrations against the NEET question paper leak in Bihar on July 22 and 25, gave testimonies before a panel at a public hearing organised by it (PUCL) on Saturday. After the hearing, PUCL national vice-president Prof Pushpendra Kumar Singh presented the organization's list of demands.

As many as 19 students and youths narrated their experiences. These included alleged beatings even after being hit by police bullets, assault on female students, firing without warning, injuries to young people from gunfire, psychological trauma during incarceration, and alleged discrimination against protesters based on religion and caste.

A panel of prominent lawyers, journalists, and social workers from Patna heard the testimonies. The panel included Patna High Court lawyer Basant Kumar Choudhary, Padma Shri awardee and social worker Sudha Varghese, social activist Arshad Ajmal, and former Times of India assistant editor Pranav Choudhary.

Following the hearing, advocate Basant Choudhary said the incidents should be described as “state repression” against students rather than merely police brutality. He also called for a writ petition to be filed over the alleged police firing.

Sudha Varghese said she was disappointed after hearing the students and questioned how the democracy that people take pride in could be “dying”.

Arshad Ajmal said, “The most significant aspect of the protests was that Gen-Z has given us new hope,” adding that the generation was not afraid of those in power and was prepared to fight for its rights.

Pranav Choudhary said police repression had existed under every government but added that Gen-Z would not stop despite such repression.

Among its other demands, PUCL called for an independent and comprehensive investigation into the controversial AK-47 firing incident in Siwan; adequate compensation for all those injured in the firing, based on the nature and severity of their injuries.