'Many friends yet to return': Patna students restart protest over NEET stir crackdown

NEW DELHI: Hundreds of students and youth activists took to the streets in Patna on Tuesday, accusing the Bihar government of failing to honour its promise to release students arrested during last month's NEET paper leak protests. Police used water cannons to disperse the march after demonstrators tried to reach chief minister Samrat Choudhary's residence.The protesters, carrying flags of organisations including the NSUI, AISF and DYFI, gathered at Gandhi Maidan before marching towards the chief minister's residence. Police stopped them at barricades near the Income Tax roundabout, around two kilometres from the destination.The demonstrators demanded the immediate release of all students still in jail and the withdrawal of criminal cases registered against those arrested during the statewide agitation."We want a verified list of those who have been released from jail and those who are still behind bars after being arrested during the protests," one of the protesters told news agency PTI.What happened during last month's bandNearly 600 people were detained by Bihar Police during last month's bandh called to demand the resignation of the then Union ducation minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak.Police later released around half of those detained after determining that they were minors, while the remaining protesters were sent to jail.The state Home Department had subsequently announced that all criminal cases against the students would be withdrawn and those lodged in jail would be released. The assurance came after a delegation led by AISA president Neha met Director General of Police Vinay Kumar.However, the protesters alleged that the government's promise remained unfulfilled."Many of our friends are yet to return home. The police are lying. We are worried about our friends," another protester shouted at Gandhi Maidan.A student activist from Siwan also alleged excessive use of force during the earlier protests."I come from the district where a police personnel had fired at students from an AK-47 rifle. The constable has been suspended, but we also seek action against the SP, who is responsible for making his subordinates trigger-happy," the activist said.Independent Purnea MP Pappu Yadav and Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram joined the demonstration. Ram was among a few opposition leaders who were taken away by police after water cannons were deployed.Sub-Divisional Police Officer Amarendra Kumar Jha said the police acted only after protesters attempted to enter a restricted area."We have not detained anyone but only helped a delegation, picked up from among the protesters, appear before a competent authority for presenting their grievances," he said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.