Bihar Withdraws FIRs and Releases NEET Protesters

Bihar NEET protests FIR withdrawal student detainees Supreme Court order

The Bihar state government announced that all First Information Reports, criminal complaints and show‑cause notices filed before 6 p.m. on 26 July 2026 in connection with the NEET‑UG examination protests will be withdrawn. The Home Department, through Special Secretary Kshatraniil Singh, also ordered the immediate release of all persons arrested or detained under those cases. Of the 694 protesters detained, 339 minors have been freed and the remaining 355 will be released, with a guarantee that no punitive or retaliatory legal action will be taken against any participant.

The Supreme Court of India has intervened, directing all states to release student protesters under 18 who have no criminal records and to preserve digital evidence such as CCTV, drone and body‑camera footage. The Court’s interim orders also bar coercive action against eligible protesters while an independent probe into alleged police excesses continues. The protests, sparked by alleged irregularities and a paper‑leak controversy in the NEET‑UG exam, resulted in injuries to 91 police personnel and 13 civilians.

Student leader Neha Bora of the All India Students’ Association met Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar to press for the withdrawals, and the decision has been welcomed by student groups and parents as a step to protect the future of the students.

Entities: All India Students’ Association (AISA) · Bihar Government · Chhatranil Singh · Chief Justice Surya Kant · Kshatraniil Singh · Kshatranil Singh · Medanta Hospital · NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) · NEET‑UG examination · Neha Bora · Rajesh Ram · Special Secretary Kshatraniil Singh

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 13 SOURCES] No punitive or retaliatory legal action will be taken against any individual who participated in the protests before the cutoff time. (multiple articles)
[● 9 SOURCES] The Bihar government ordered withdrawal of all FIRs, complaints and notices filed before 26 July 2026, 6 p.m. related to the student protests. (NEET‑UG protests)
[● 9 SOURCES] Special Secretary Kshatraniil Singh, IPS, issued the notification. (NEET‑UG protests)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The decision aims to protect students’ futures and avoid career impact. (Government rationale in notification)
[● 12 SOURCES] All detained students will be released immediately. (belongs)
[● 5 SOURCES] The withdrawal applies only to cases filed before 6 p.m. on 26 July 2026; incidents after that are not covered. (multiple articles)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The protests were sparked by alleged irregularities in the NEET‑UG examination and a paper‑leak controversy. (Background information in reports)
[● 13 SOURCES] Approximately 355 people were jailed and 694 were in custody due to the protests. (NEET‑UG protests)
[● 10 SOURCES] No further legal or punitive action will be taken against those students. (belongs)
[● 2 SOURCES] Special Secretary Kshatranil Singh, IPS, issued the statement on the case withdrawals. (Kshatranil Singh)
[● 9 SOURCES] The Bihar government will withdraw all FIRs, criminal complaints and show‑cause notices filed before 6 p.m. on 26 July 2026 related to the NEET‑UG protests. (multiple articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] The NEET‑UG examination triggered protests across India, including in Bihar. (Multiple reports)