4 min readKolkataUpdated: Jul 26, 2026 02:04 PM IST
The Kolkata police have arrested 14 people in connection with the violence against police and journalists during Friday’s protest in Dharmatala over the NEET question paper leak.
“None of them is a student. They are all troublemakers who were present at the CJP rally yesterday and engaged in vandalism,” a police officer said on Saturday about the arrested people.
However, the police added that the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) clarified via email that none of the arrested men was associated with the movement.
The police officer further said that police caught two of the accused—Md Azad and Md Afroz—on the Durgapur Expressway near Andal while they tried to flee West Bengal.
Anyone can take pictures with me: TMC MLA Khaleque Molla
The police said they found that Afroz had close links with Metiaburuz MLA Abdul Khaleque Molla, pointing to social media pictures of the accused standing with the Trinamool Congress leader. Afroz’s social media account has reels where he calls his group “Mafia Team”, the police said, adding that he also had other criminal cases registered against him.
Speaking to the media, however, Abdul Khaleque Molla said, “I am an MLA. So anyone can take pictures with me, but Afroz is not an active TMC member.”
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Afroz had worked for the TMC during elections, according to locals.
The other arrested accused are Irfan Khurshed, Arshad Ali alias Sajid, Md Moinuddin, Md Alamgir alias Raju, Imran Ahmed alias Gopi, Khalid Reja alias Rinku, Zamir Ahmed alias Minku, Mohsin Khan, Dipak Bhowmick alias Vicky, Shabaz Khan, Sk Md Salman Hussain, and Johiruddin Mal. The police said all 14 will be produced in court and that they are looking for others wanted in the case.
The police first registered a suo moto case over the violence and vandalism that broke out at Dorina Crossing in Central Kolkata on Friday afternoon. The charges include unlawful assembly, being armed with deadly weapons, and provocation to breach public peace. The police have registered seven cases in total regarding the NEET protest.
Left organisations protest ‘without permission’
According to the FIR, a large number of protesters led by various political parties and student-youth organisations, such as the AIDSO, AIDYO, CPIM(L), DYFI, AISA, PDSF, AFSA, DSF, ISU, APDR, gathered at the spot at around 2 pm without police permission.
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The police alleged that “provocative” speeches delivered during the protest incited the crowd, which then attempted to occupy the intersection. Officers announced over loudspeakers that the assembly had been declared unlawful and repeatedly asked protesters to disperse and maintain peace. However, the crowd allegedly refused to comply.
The FIR further alleges that, following instructions from protest leaders, demonstrators hurled water bottles, shoes, sticks, and stones at police personnel, journalists covering the protest, and passers-by. Several journalists and police personnel were injured.
Clashes broke out between the protesters and police.
The protest disrupted vehicular movement and normal public life in the area for several hours. The demonstrators dispersed around 7.15 pm.
CJP called off its protest
The CJP had called off a rally after the police denied it permission. The CJP then joined the protest at Dharmatala. The Left students’ organisations held the rally from Sealdah to Esplanade in solidarity with a nationwide movement against the alleged irregularities in NEET and other competitive exams. They also protested against the police crackdown on NEET protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
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A large contingent of the Rapid Action Force, a combat force of the city police, and central paramilitary forces was deployed at the spot.
Meanwhile, the massive protests that took place across cities have been withdrawn after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, accepting their demand.
