Pedestrian opens latch, detained students escape from police van in Mumbai
During a student protest in Mumbai, a bystander opened a police van latch, allowing detained protesters to escape. This event occurred amidst ongoing demonstrations regarding the NEET paper leak controversy.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the volatility of the current student protests and the challenges faced by law enforcement in managing large-scale civil disobedience.
A police attempt to shift student protesters in a van in Mumbai ’s Chembur area was foiled when a man casually walked up and opened the latch, allowing several youths to gush out and escape, according to a viral video.
The incident occurred during a student protest held on Wednesday (July 22, 2026), afternoon at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Udyan Chowk within the jurisdiction of the Chembur police station. The demonstration was held in violation of prohibitory orders, police said.
According to the police, 700 to 800 protesters had assembled at the site.
An official said that the police personnel exercised restraint and attempted to persuade the crowd to disperse, following which the gathering broke up. Around 200 individuals were identified from the crowd and detained.
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