Two additional individuals have been apprehended regarding the violence and assaults on police officers and journalists at the July 24 protest rally in Kolkata against the NEET exam paper leak and other exam irregularities. This brings the total number of arrests to 16. The recent arrests were made based on CCTV footage and video recordings of the disturbances.
The two individuals arrested on Monday morning are identified as Waqar Azam, aged 35, residing in the Karaya Area at Park Circus in South-East Kolkata, and Zaved Akhtar, aged 32, residing in the Garden Reach area in the southern outskirts of Kolkata. They are scheduled to appear in a lower court in Kolkata later in the day, where the public prosecutor will request their police custody.
All those arrested will face charges under the newly enacted West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026, which imposes stricter measures against anti-social and violent behaviors, as previously announced by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Tension escalated at the joint rally organized by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and various student and youth organizations against the NEET exam paper leak on July 24 afternoon. Some protesters at the rally threw glass bottles, stones, bricks, bamboo sticks, and shoes at the police, leading to injuries among both police personnel and media personnel covering the event.
