Mumbai Police have stepped up preventive measures aimed at discouraging repeat participation in demonstrations linked to the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) student movement. The strategy marks a shift from crowd management to targeted monitoring of individuals who have already figured in previous protests held at locations such as Shivaji Park, Chembur and Azad Maidan.
Several protesters who were earlier named in First Information Reports (FIRs) or served legal notices said they had received direct calls and messages from their local police stations. According to social media posts and screenshots shared by those contacted, some police officials instructed them to remain at home and keep their WhatsApp live location enabled as proof that they were not attending fresh demonstrations.
Police have also been issuing notices under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) through messaging platforms, asking recipients to appear for questioning in connection with earlier protest gatherings.
Beyond digital communication, police personnel have been visiting the homes of student protesters across Mumbai and neighbouring municipal areas. During these visits, officers have informed families about ongoing investigations and advised students against participating in further protests. Teams have also been deployed at key railway stations and metro hubs to identify individuals believed to be travelling towards protest venues and prevent them from joining demonstrations. Details of previously detained protesters have reportedly been circulated among police stations to facilitate quick identification during field checks.
Senior police officials described these steps as preventive rather than punitive, saying the objective is to discourage young people from acquiring criminal records that could affect passport applications, higher education opportunities and future employment.
However, lawyers representing protesters and civil rights groups have questioned the legality of some of the measures. They argue that demands for live location sharing, scrutiny of digital communications and visits to private residences go beyond routine preventive policing and raise concerns over privacy rights and freedom of movement guaranteed under the Constitution.
Mumbai has witnessed several demonstrations in recent days in support of the CJP-led student agitation in Delhi. Political parties, student groups and activists have continued protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and the police action against CJP supporters in the national capital.
In Delhi, CJP supporters remained at Jantar Mantar on Thursday, pressing for accountability over alleged irregularities in examinations, including NEET-UG 2026, wider reforms in the education system, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.