Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday, 26 July 2025, told the West Bengal Legislative Assembly that identified anti-social elements from five Kolkata localities — Rajabazar, Kidderpore, Park Circus, Garden Reach, and Ekbalpur — were primarily responsible for the violence that erupted during a NEET paper leak protest rally on Friday, in which cops and journalists were attacked. The Chief Minister made these remarks on the concluding day of the six-day extended Budget Session of the Assembly.

What Adhikari Said in the House

Addressing the Assembly, Adhikari stated that police had been given strict instructions not to use force against any democratic and peaceful movement. However, he alleged that the rally — organised jointly by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the youth and students' wings of various Left parties — was infiltrated by individuals with no connection to the NEET examination or its student victims.

'CJP said that Leftist students' and youth organisations joined the protests. Among them were people from Kolkata and surrounding areas, who are not students and have no connection with NEET,' he said.

The Chief Minister further alleged that those responsible 'threw water bottles, shoes at the police at Dorina crossing' and also attacked journalists covering the event. He named certain alleged anti-social elements from these localities as the principal perpetrators of Friday's violence.

Journalists Attacked, Seven FIRs Registered

According to Adhikari, six journalists were seriously injured in the violence. A total of seven FIRs have now been registered — one additional FIR was filed after Saturday's Assembly session, taking the cumulative count to seven. All seven cases, the Chief Minister said, will be tried under the newly promulgated West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026, which carries stricter provisions against rowdy and anti-social behaviour and corruption in the state.

Authorities have also identified 70 individuals from CCTV footage and videos who were directly involved in violent activities during Friday's rally.

The Alleged Motive Behind the Violence

Adhikari claimed the anti-social elements deliberately sought to provoke a police crackdown. 'They wanted the police to use force by resorting to baton-charge and firing of teargas shells. Their intention was to aggravate the tension. And thus create a drama. Fortunately, the police did not fall into that trap. But they continued their attacks,' he said.

This comes amid a broader national controversy over the alleged NEET UG paper leak, which has triggered student protests across multiple states and drawn scrutiny from the Supreme Court of India.

Background and Broader Context

The NEET paper leak controversy has been one of the most politically charged student issues of 2025, with demonstrations reported in West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Delhi, among other states. The Kolkata rally was part of this wider wave of agitation, though the state government's position — as articulated by the Chief Minister — is that legitimate student grievances were exploited by organised troublemakers to engineer a confrontation with law enforcement.

With 70 suspects identified on camera and seven FIRs lodged under the new state law, the legal proceedings are expected to move swiftly, setting a precedent for how Bengal handles violence at political demonstrations going forward.