Administrative Delays Stall Release of NEET Protesters from Patna's Beur Jail
Hundreds of families remain stationed outside Beur Central Jail as legal formalities slow the release of anti-NEET activists. Despite a state government order to drop all charges, only 25 of the 144 detained in Patna have been processed.
Bureaucratic Hurdles Block Government Amnesty
Despite a high-level decision by the Bihar government on Monday to withdraw all cases against NEET paper leak protesters, the gates of Beur Central Jail remained closed for the majority of detainees on Wednesday. The state's assurance that no further coercive action would be taken has met a bottleneck in the form of judicial paperwork and the slow processing of release orders from local courts.
Police sources confirmed that approximately 25 individuals have transitioned out of custody so far. Among those freed is Patna University Students’ Union president Shantanu Shekhar. While Shekhar noted fair treatment by authorities during his detention, he joined the families in demanding an immediate end to the holding of the remaining students.
Families Recount Arrests and Prolonged Waiting
Outside the prison walls, the human cost of the delay is evident. Relatives have maintained a constant vigil, many arriving before dawn. Nikhat Jabeen, who has been waiting since Saturday, reported that her 20-year-old son, Shadan Malik, remains behind bars despite the public amnesty declaration. Her son was among 18 students apprehended on July 25 near Gandhi Maidan.
- Detention Timeline: Students were initially moved to the Rupaspur police station before being transferred to Beur jail at 3 a.m. on July 26.
- Allegations of Force: Reports from detainees suggest that police applied physical force during the initial transport from the protest site to custody.
- Total Bookings: In the state capital alone, law enforcement official records show 144 protesters were booked during the demonstrations.
Legal Logjam in Local Courts
The discrepancy between the political announcement and the reality on the ground rests on the logistical requirements of the legal system. Prince Kumar, whose brother Piyush is currently held, noted a total lack of official communication regarding specific release times, though rumors of late-night processing have circulated among the crowd. Police officials maintain that they cannot bypass the formal acquisition of court-mandated release orders, regardless of the government's stance on dropping the charges.
Source: The Hindu — National
