After Bihar, Assam backs down; to withdraw cases against NEET protesters, release detainees

In a major climbdown following weeks of student protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, the Bihar government on Monday announced that it would withdraw all legal cases filed against protesters and release those detained in connection with the agitation. The decision applies to all actions taken before 6 pm on July 26, 2026. The government said it would initiate the process of withdrawing FIRs, complaints and show-cause notices registered against protesters before the deadline, while also assuring that no punitive, retaliatory or future legal action would be taken against those covered under the decision.

The announcement comes amid escalating political pressure over the state's handling of the protests. Opposition parties had accused the government of using excessive force against students and demanded that all criminal cases be dropped. On Sunday, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had given the government until Monday midnight to withdraw the FIRs, warning that his party would launch a statewide agitation from 7 am on July 29 if no action was taken.

Separately, the Bihar Police Headquarters issued a statement on the firing incident during the July 25 protests in Siwan, saying Constable Abhishek Kumar had been suspended and departmental proceedings initiated against him. According to the police, the constable fired four rounds into the air from his AK-47 near JP Chowk after bandh supporters allegedly surrounded police personnel deployed there. The police maintained that the firing was aimed at protecting lives and government property and that no one in the crowd was injured.