A Mumbai police officer has been accused of threatening to implicate students protesting over the NEET paper leak in a false drugs case to deter them from joining demonstrations. A video of the alleged incident, shared by the Mumbai Congress on its X account, has since gone viral.
In recent days, large numbers of students and citizens have been protesting at locations including Shivaji Park, Chembur and Azad Maidan in Mumbai.
The viral video appears to show a uniformed police officer warning a group of students that if they returned to the protests, they would be falsely implicated in a drugs case.
Mumbai Police has launched an investigation into the incident. Pending the outcome of the inquiry, the officer seen in the video has been removed from his current posting. Police officials said further action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
Mumbai Congress’s Post:
Viral video shows police officer telling students: ‘If I see you here again, I’ll ruin your life’
In the viral video, several young people are seen inside a police van, reportedly after being detained during a protest over the NEET paper leak.
A uniformed police officer is heard warning them not to return to the demonstrations, saying, “If I see you here again, I’ll ruin your life.”
The officer allegedly goes on to threaten to falsely implicate the students in a drugs case, saying, “I’ll put 50-50 grams of powder in your bag and your life will be over.”
He also tells the students that their protests had made his own life difficult. The authenticity of the video is under investigation by Mumbai Police.
Congress to government: ‘Answer responsibly’
Mumbai Congress’s post said, if this is true, then it is not just an attempt to intimidate students, but a direct attack on democratic rights. Raising a voice is not a crime. Students’ questions should be answered responsibly, not with threats.
Protesting students stopping a police vehicle during a demonstration in Mumbai.
Apart from students, other people also participated in the Mumbai protest.
Questions raised on Mumbai Police’s method of stopping protests
Questions are also being raised about the methods used by Mumbai Police to stop student protests, such as digital tracking of protesters and questioning them at their homes.
Protesters reported receiving direct phone calls and messages from local police stations. Social media posts and verified screenshots show that senior station officials instructed people to stay at home and continuously share their WhatsApp live location to ensure they were complying with the rules.
Additionally, legal notices were digitally sent early in the morning via messaging apps under Section 35(3) of the ‘Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita’ (BNSS), instructing people to appear for questioning regarding previous gatherings.
