Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker joined students at Chembur Police Station after several protesters were detained during demonstrations over the alleged NEET paper leak. The actor shared a video from the police station, extending her support to the students and criticising the police action.
Swara Bhasker reacts to detained student protesters
Swara Bhasker visited students who had been detained at Chembur Police Station and shared videos from the police station on social media.
Standing in support of the protesters, she wrote, “We stood shoulder to shoulder with the detained students at Chembur Police Station, reaffirming that the voice of youth cannot be silenced.Our solidarity is unwavering. Our commitment to justice remains stronger than ever.”
Swara shares videos of Fahad Ahmad’s detention
Swara Bhasker also shared a series of videos showing her husband, political activist Fahad Ahmad, being detained by the Mumbai Police during a protest near Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai’s Dadar area. According to the actor, Fahad and other protesters had assembled to oppose the alleged forcible removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from his hunger strike in Delhi.
One of the videos captures Fahad questioning police officers as they escort him into custody. Sharing the clip, Swara wrote, “Mumbai Police detaining @fahadzirarahmad and other protestors at #chaityabhoomi in Mumbai on 20 July 2026, at 4:30 pm. They are currently being detained at Mahim Police Station. This is India’s democracy. Shameful state of affairs.”
Later in the evening, Swara informed her followers that Fahad had been released after being held for a few hours. She simply updated, “Fahad has been released at 8pm.”
She also posted another video that Fahad had recorded from inside the police van shortly after his detention. Sharing it on Instagram, Swara wrote, “I received this video at 4:30 pm on July 20, 2026, from @fahadzirarahmad. He asked me to post it. Mumbai Police is allegedly attacking peaceful protesters at #Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai. Those in solidarity, please reach Chaityabhoomi peacefully and in large numbers.”
What is the controversy about?
For those unfamiliar with the protests, the movement first gained momentum after the alleged NEET paper leak sparked outrage among millions of medical aspirants, many of whom questioned the credibility of the examination system. Public anger deepened after reports of several students dying by suicide amid the intense pressure surrounding the exams, turning what began as an education issue into a larger conversation about accountability and the well-being of young people.
Soon after, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical citizens’ movement, emerged following a controversial remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who allegedly referred to unemployed youth activists as “cockroaches”. The phrase quickly became a rallying point, with students reclaiming it as a symbol of resistance. Since then, the movement has grown far beyond social media, with students, parents, teachers and people from different walks of life gathering at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and several other cities to stand in solidarity with the country’s youth.
The protesters have laid out a clear set of demands. These include the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who died by suicide, and the release of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was forcibly taken to a hospital while observing an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The movement reached a major turning point on July 20, when thousands of students and supporters participated in the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in Delhi. What began as a peaceful demonstration later turned tense after police used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd following clashes. Despite the crackdown, the protests have continued across Delhi and several other parts of the country, with demonstrators saying they will keep fighting until their demands are heard.