Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Assam government has ordered the withdrawal of all police cases tied to recent NEET (UG) demonstrations. Officials confirmed that as of 6:00 pm on July 26, 2026, police had registered five cases and arrested 13 individuals. The state will now expedite the release of these detainees and halt all ongoing legal proceedings. This move aims to close the chapter on the protests while the government shifts focus toward systemic education reforms.
Simultaneously, the Assam unit of the All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) is demanding the immediate release of advocate Ariful Islam. Dispur Police arrested Islam in connection with Case No. 541/2026, citing multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The association claims he was merely a bystander at a July 23 protest held at Chachal Ground. The protest demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
AILAJ alleges police held Islam for eight hours before officially recording his arrest at 9 pm. They argue that he clearly identified himself as a lawyer and produced his Bar Council identity card while wearing his court dress. The association labeled the detention an act of intimidation against the legal profession. They described the incident as an "unexplained and unlawful detention" that violated constitutional safeguards. The group is now calling for a formal inquiry into the delay and the withdrawal of all allegations against Islam.
Separately, the Barpeta Indoor Stadium fee hike surfaced in the Assam Assembly on July 27. Barpeta MLA Dipak Kumar Das requested a government response regarding the franchise deal with Dipankar's Badminton Academy. Since July 1, fees have soared from a monthly rate of ₹700 to as much as ₹12,000. Critics argue the new commercial model shuts out low-income athletes and ignores the facility's multi-purpose roots. Parents and players are now pushing for the government to cancel the arrangement and restore affordable public access.
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