PUCL Bihar on Saturday demanded withdrawal of FIRs against NEET-UG paper leak protesters and sought an independent probe into alleged police action during demonstrations in July. The demand followed a public hearing in Patna where 19 students and youths shared accounts of alleged beatings, injuries and detention. PUCL said the investigation should examine rights violations during the protests.

PUCL Demands Fast-Track Withdrawal Of FIRs Against NEET Protesters In Bihar |

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

Bihar Government Had Announced Withdrawal Of Criminal Cases Earlier

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.

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Nineteen Protesters Narrate Alleged Police Action And Trauma

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.

The testimonies were heard by a panel comprising prominent lawyers, journalists, and social workers from Patna. The panel included Patna High Court lawyer Basant Kumar Choudhary, Padma Shri awardee and social worker Sudha Varghese, social activist Arshad Ajmal, and former assistant editor Pranav Choudhary.

Advocate Calls Alleged Police Action ‘State Repression’

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.

PUCL called for an independent and impartial investigation into the police actions, including the alleged use of firearms and batons against protesters, illegal detention, torture in custody, violations of legal provisions while sending detained protesters to judicial custody, harassment of activists even after the protests had ended, and alleged mistreatment and false cases against two PUCL lawyer-members.

The organisation also demanded that the investigation cover the alleged police action inside Kalyan Hostel in Sitamarhi on the evening of July 21.

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; and strict punitive action against police officers at various levels found responsible for violating the rights of protesters and other victims.

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