Protests continue across city despite FIRs, detentions, notices

Scores of students and youngsters gathered at Shivaji Park, Mankhurd, Kalina and Ghatkopar on Thursday, in defiance of criminal action initiated by the police

Mumbai: Protests demanding government accountability over recent competitive examination paper leaks continued in Mumbai on Thursday, with scores of students and youngsters gathering at Shivaji Park, Mankhurd, Kalina and Ghatkopar, in defiance of criminal action initiated by the police, including registration of at least 16 first information reports (FIRs) and issuance of notices.

At Shivaji Park, the epicenter of recent protests in the city against paper leaks, students began trickling in around 1pm, the numbers started swelling around 4pm, when nearly 200 youngsters, some accompanied by their parents, flocked the venue carrying placards and raising slogans (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

At Shivaji Park, the epicenter of recent protests in the city against paper leaks, students began trickling in around 1pm, but were detained or shooed away by the police. The numbers started swelling around 4pm, when nearly 200 youngsters, some accompanied by their parents, flocked the venue carrying placards and raising slogans. The police swung into action around 5.30pm, detaining some protestors and clearing the area.

In Mankhurd, 30-40 protestors gathered at the Samvidhan Chowk in Lallubhai Compound around 1pm, in response to a call from Pradnya Unhale and other local residents. While police detained the entire group, others kept trickling in and the number of protestors soon swelled to beyond 200. The group began marching through the compound, but the police halted the march and took the protesters to Mankhurd police station. All protestors were released after a few hours and no FIR was registered against them till they were allowed to go, protestors told Hindustan Times.

Dhananjay Tawde, a 24-year-old law student who participated in the protest, said it was organised by local residents and not any major political party.

“I decided to participate after learning about the protest because it was taking place in my neighbourhood,” he said.

Another protest was held at the main gate of the University of Mumbai’s Kalina campus. The demonstration was organised by the students’ group Chhatrabharati, in support of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s call for a Maharashtra bandh on Thursday. Around 100 students participated in the protest, raising slogans against the NEET-2026 paper leak and the lathi-charge on students protesting in Delhi, and demanding action on both issues. Police detained the protesting students briefly and no case was registered against them till they were released.

Chetan Patil, Mumbai President, Chhatrabharati, criticised the police action in Delhi. “Students were holding a peaceful protest but instead of holding talks with them, the police used force,” Patil said.

Chhatrabharati’s State Women’s Wing Organiser Dipti Shelar also criticised the lathi-charge in Delhi and said such action against students was unacceptable.

Ramabai Nagar in Ghatkopar, known for its Ambedkarite and Leftist leanings, also witnessed a protest in the evening. All shops in the neighbourhood were shut through the day, in response to the VBA’s bandh call. Around 5pm, around 300 residents participated in a rally from Kamaraj Nagar to the main chowk at Ramabai Nagar, raising slogans.

“We had planned a rasta roko but decided not to block the road after police requested us to cooperate,” said Aniket Sonawne, a protester.

At Darukhana in Mazgaon, around 100 residents participated in a rally that began from the Newtankaula Bunder Road and proceeded towards Darrukhana Naka. Protesters raised slogans and sang songs, followed by a round of speeches, before the police detained around 50 protesters,, said Manoj Hate, one of the participants. All protesters were released around five hours later, after being served notices.