NEET protests turn violent in Darbhanga, Begusarai; police lathi-charge, fire tear gas
Synopsis
Bihar's NEET protests crossed a dangerous threshold on 23 July as stone-pelting students clashed with police in Darbhanga and Begusarai — injuring a senior SP and triggering lathi-charges and seven rounds of tear gas. With CCTV-based crackdowns underway and a five-member delegation already meeting the DM, the confrontation signals how rapidly the NEET controversy is escalating from campus agitation to street-level unrest.
Key Takeaways
Student protests over the NEET paper leak turned violent in Darbhanga and Begusarai , Bihar, on 23 July 2024 .
Police fired 7 rounds of tear gas and conducted a lathi-charge at Lohia Chowk, Darbhanga after protesters allegedly pelted stones.
City SP Ashok Kumar sustained a bleeding foot injury; a constable was also hurt in the stone-pelting.
Nearly 2,000 students had gathered at Karpoori Chowk in Darbhanga without prior permission before the march turned violent.
In Begusarai, more than half a dozen people were detained after protesters allegedly attempted to breach barricades near the Collectorate.
Authorities are reviewing CCTV and video footage to identify those involved; a five-member student delegation submitted a memorandum to the Begusarai District Magistrate.
Student demonstrations demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy turned violent in Bihar on Thursday, 23 July, with police resorting to lathi-charges and tear gas to disperse crowds in Darbhanga and Begusarai. The clashes injured at least two police personnel, including a senior officer, and led to the detention of more than half a dozen individuals in Begusarai.
Violence at Darbhanga's Lohia Chowk
The most serious confrontation took place at Lohia Chowk under Laheriasarai Police Station in Darbhanga. According to officials, nearly 2,000 students had assembled at Karpoori Chowk without prior permission before marching toward Collectorate Road.
As the march progressed, a section of the crowd allegedly began pelting stones at police personnel, triggering a sharp escalation. City Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar sustained a bleeding injury near his foot during the stone-pelting; a constable was also hurt. Police first conducted a lathi-charge, and when protesters continued to resist, riot control units fired seven rounds of tear gas shells to restore order.
Tension persisted in the Laheriasarai area for at least two hours after the incident. District Magistrate Kaushal Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police Jagunath Reddy Jalareddy rushed to the spot to supervise security operations. Additional personnel from multiple police stations and riot control units were deployed to prevent further escalation. Authorities said CCTV footage and video recordings from the protest are being examined to identify those allegedly involved in the stone-pelting.
Clashes and Detentions in Begusarai
A parallel confrontation unfolded in Begusarai, where students organised a protest march also demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The administration had pre-emptively erected barricades near the District Collectorate and deployed special forces alongside riot control units.
According to police, repeated attempts were made to persuade demonstrators to remain peaceful. However, when a section of the crowd allegedly tried to break through the barricades, police used force to disperse them. More than half a dozen people were detained for questioning. Though protesters briefly retreated, they regrouped and resumed sloganeering near the site, keeping the atmosphere tense.
Superintendent of Police Manish personally reached the spot to oversee security. He said officers had initially attempted dialogue, but certain individuals allegedly tried to disturb public peace, compelling police to intervene. He added that those involved in the disturbance were being identified through video footage and that appropriate legal action would follow.
Delegation Meets District Magistrate
Amid the tension in Begusarai, a five-member delegation representing the protesters met the District Magistrate and submitted a memorandum outlining their demands. Despite the meeting, a large number of students remained gathered near the Collectorate, prompting authorities to maintain security deployment and continuous patrolling.
SP Manish confirmed that the Collectorate premises remained fully secure and urged the public to maintain peace and disregard rumours.
Broader Context: NEET Controversy
The protests are part of a wider wave of student agitation across India over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination, which has drawn demands for a re-test, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, and the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan. Bihar has emerged as one of the flashpoints, with the state already linked to reported paper leak networks under investigation. This is among the more serious outbreaks of protest-related violence connected to the NEET row, underscoring mounting pressure on both the Centre and state administrations to respond credibly.
Authorities in both districts have appealed for calm while surveillance and patrolling continue across the affected areas.
Point of View
Streets become the default forum. The injury to a sitting SP and the deployment of riot units in two districts simultaneously signals that the administration underestimated the intensity of sentiment on the ground. The Centre's continued silence on a ministerial resignation has left state police forces to absorb pressure that is, at its root, a policy and governance failure. CCTV-based identification of protesters may restore short-term order, but it does not address the underlying anger over NEET — and risks framing a legitimate grievance as a law-and-order problem.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did students protest in Darbhanga and Begusarai on 23 July?
Students took to the streets demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The protests, part of a broader national agitation, turned violent after sections of the crowd allegedly pelted stones at police in both cities.
What police action was taken during the Darbhanga protest?
Police first conducted a lathi-charge at Lohia Chowk after protesters allegedly began throwing stones. When crowds continued to resist, riot control units fired seven rounds of tear gas shells. City SP Ashok Kumar was injured near his foot during the stone-pelting, and a constable was also hurt.
How many people were detained in Begusarai?
More than half a dozen individuals were detained for questioning in Begusarai after a section of protesters allegedly attempted to break through police barricades near the District Collectorate. SP Manish said those involved in the disturbance were being identified through video footage for further legal action.
What is the NEET paper leak controversy?
The NEET-UG 2024 controversy centres on allegations that question papers were leaked before the medical entrance examination, compromising its integrity. Students and opposition parties have demanded a re-test, a CBI probe, and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Bihar has been identified as one of the states linked to reported leak networks under investigation.
What is the current situation in the affected areas?
As of the evening of 23 July, tension continued to prevail in Laheriasarai, Darbhanga, even two hours after the clashes. In Begusarai, students regrouped and resumed sloganeering despite police action. Authorities in both districts have deployed additional forces, intensified surveillance, and appealed to the public to maintain peace.
