400 NEET protesters detained in Mumbai; Aditya Thackeray visits the police station

Police on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) detained more than 400 protesters at two locations in Mumbai during demonstrations demanding action over the alleged NEET paper leak. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray visited the Dadar police station later in the day, following which several detainees were released.

Also read | Jantar Mantar protest update on July 22

Protests were held at several places in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra. Several Congress leaders were also detained and later released in Mumbai. Meanwhile, a delegation of students also met MNS chief Raj Thackeray at his residence while the protest continued at Shivaji Park.

Bans were enforced in Shivaji Park, Dadar and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Udyan Chowk in Chembur where the demonstrations were organized without prior permission, police sources said.

At Shivaji Park, DCP Mahendra Pandit said around 200 protesters were detained at the first rally. A larger crowd of nearly 1,500 people later gathered at the same location and was dispersed without further detention. Members of the Chhatra Jawan Party and other organizations took part in the protest.

In Chembur, Zone VI DCP Sameer Shaikh said 700-800 protesters gathered at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Udyan Chowk. Police separated approximately 200 people from the crowd and took them into custody. The gathering violated bans restricting illegal gatherings in the area.

Police said that legal proceedings have been initiated against the detainees for violating the ban and other applicable laws. The cases were registered at the relevant police stations.

After the arrest, Aditya Thackeray and Amit Thackeray visited the protest site at Shivaji Park and then proceeded to the local police station. Sources confirmed that detained protesters were released after their crackdown, although police did not confirm how many protesters were released.

Actor, comedian arrested

Actress Ayesha Khan, known for her role in the song ‘Shararat’ from the film Dhurandhar, was among those detained at Shivaji Park in Dadar. She was later released.

Ms Khan shared videos on Instagram from a police van and later from the Worli police station, in which she claimed she was detained despite not raising slogans or carrying placards. She said she arrived at the protest site around 4pm to show solidarity and stood by the road with two female friends after her brother and other male companions were taken into a police van. According to her, the group did not start protesting when they were detained.

Stand-up comedians Abish Matthew and Raunaq Rajani were also detained, NCP(SP) spokesperson Anish Gawande said, adding that they were later released.

Security was tight at both locations throughout the day. A senior police officer said that the deployment in Mumbai has been stepped up after the protest in Delhi. “Since another protest is going on, we have deployed adequate force,” the officer said.

Deflected by containment

Several participants said the possibility of detention deterred many from participating in the protests.

Prisha (22), a creative professional who took part in the protest, said she was afraid of police action. “Seeing them wasn’t comforting. Seeing them like, this could go wrong. And if it does go wrong, it’s going to be on me,” she said.

Alti, 27, said protest organizers should be prepared for police intervention. “The mobilization of people without behavior and structure is dangerous. The people mobilizing these protesters must have legal structures in place,” she said.

Chhavi Arora, 23, a freelancer in the advertising and film industry, said many had asked her if it was safe to attend the demonstration. “I get messages asking, ‘Is it safe? Can we come? Will the police stop us?’ The fear created by the institution that is supposed to protect us is baffling,” she said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) member Sharif Deshmukh criticized the police crackdown on protesters in Delhi. “Students exercising their democratic right to protest should not be met with violence. The events at Jantar Mantar raise concerns about the space for peaceful dissent,” he said.

Demonstrations ended in all locations, with no injuries or further arrests reported after the initial round.

Published – 22 Jul 2026 23:12 IST