NEET row: BJP-Congress workers clash in Hyderabad, police detain leaders
Synopsis
The NEET paper leak row turned violent in Hyderabad on 22 July as BJP and Congress workers clashed with sticks and stones near rival party offices in Nampally, injuring several people including a policewoman. Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao was detained, and a lathi charge was ordered in Karimnagar — underscoring how a student grievance has rapidly escalated into street-level political conflict.
Key Takeaways
BJP and Congress workers clashed near party offices in Nampally, Hyderabad on 22 July over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Activists attacked each other with sticks and stones; several workers and a policewoman were injured.
Telangana BJP president N.
Ramchander Rao was detained and taken to Goshamahal Police Station .
A second clash broke out in Karimnagar near the office of Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay ; police used a lathi charge to disperse crowds.
The clashes were triggered by Tuesday's events in New Delhi , where Rahul Gandhi and opposition leaders were detained during a NEET protest near the Prime Minister's residence.
Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress clashed near the BJP office in Hyderabad on Wednesday, 22 July, as both parties staged rival protests rooted in the NEET paper leak controversy and the preceding day's dramatic events in New Delhi. The violence left several party workers and a policewoman injured.
What Triggered the Clash
The immediate flashpoint was Tuesday's protest near the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and leaders of the Samajwadi Party had gathered to demonstrate against police action on students protesting the NEET paper leak. The BJP subsequently accused Gandhi of breaching security protocols, while the Congress condemned his detention and that of other leaders during the demonstration.
In Hyderabad, both grievances spilled onto the streets simultaneously, with each party targeting the other's headquarters in the Nampally area.
Violence in Nampally
Large numbers of BJP workers assembled at the party's Telangana state headquarters and marched toward the Congress office, Gandhi Bhavan, damaging party flexis along the way. In retaliation, Congress and National Students' Union of India (NSUI) workers marched toward the BJP office, led by MLC Balmori Venkat, raising slogans against Prime Minister Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Activists from both sides attacked each other with sticks and stones. Police intervened and detained Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao along with other leaders, shifting them to Goshamahal Police Station. A policewoman sustained injuries during the confrontation. The clashes triggered a massive traffic jam across Nampally, Moazzam Jahi Market, and adjoining areas.
Karimnagar Clash and Lathi Charge
The unrest was not confined to Hyderabad. In Karimnagar town, Congress workers attempted to stage a protest outside the office of Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay, leading to another clash between cadres of the two parties. Police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the groups. BJP workers alleged they were attacked first by Congress activists with sticks; Congress workers offered a counter-narrative.
The NEET Backdrop
The street violence reflects the deepening political fault lines over the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak controversy, which has seen student protests across multiple states. The opposition has demanded accountability from the Centre, while the ruling BJP has accused Congress leaders of exploiting student grievances for political gain. This is among the most visible instances of inter-party street clashes triggered by the NEET row so far.
What Comes Next
With both parties digging in on their respective positions, further protests in Telangana cannot be ruled out. The political temperature in the state is likely to remain elevated as the NEET controversy continues to play out in Parliament and on the streets.
Point of View
With both parties now more focused on scoring points off each other than on accountability for the leak itself. The Hyderabad clashes are a symptom of that displacement: the original grievance — students whose futures were jeopardised — is being drowned out by party mobilisation. Notably, the violence erupted in Telangana, a state where the Congress is in power and the BJP is in opposition, adding a local power-contest layer to a national controversy. If the political class continues to weaponise NEET rather than resolve it, the students who sparked the protests will have the least to show for them.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did BJP and Congress workers clash in Hyderabad on 22 July?
The clash was rooted in the NEET paper leak controversy and Tuesday's events in New Delhi, where Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders were detained while protesting police action against NEET students near the Prime Minister's residence. The BJP staged a counter-protest accusing Gandhi of a security breach, while Congress workers rallied to condemn his detention, and the rival demonstrations turned violent in Nampally.
Who was detained during the Hyderabad clashes?
Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao and several other BJP leaders were detained by police and taken to Goshamahal Police Station. A number of Congress and NSUI workers were also detained as police intervened to control the clashes.
Where exactly did the violence take place?
The primary clashes occurred in the Nampally area of Hyderabad, near the Telangana BJP headquarters and Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress state office. A separate clash also broke out in Karimnagar town, near the office of Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay, where police used a lathi charge to disperse groups.
What is the NEET paper leak row?
The NEET-UG 2024 paper leak controversy refers to allegations that the question paper for India's national medical entrance examination was leaked before the test, compromising results for hundreds of thousands of students. The controversy has triggered student protests across multiple states and a political battle between the ruling BJP and the opposition over accountability.
Was anyone injured in the Hyderabad clashes?
Yes, several workers from both parties sustained injuries after activists attacked each other with sticks and stones. A policewoman was also injured during the clashes in Nampally.
