Janshakthi Janta Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav was detained by Bihar Police on Saturday after joining students protesting over the NEET paper leak during the Bihar Bandh in Patna.
According to officials, Yadav joined demonstrators staging a sit-in at Ram Gulam Chowk before police intervened and took him into custody. Visuals from the protest showed the former Bihar minister being escorted into a police vehicle amid sloganeering by supporters.
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Before being detained, Yadav voiced support for the students and said he would continue standing with them. Clinging to the door of the police vehicle, he declared, “We are standing shoulder to shoulder with the students. If need be, I am willing to die for the students’ rights.”
Earlier in the day, Yadav had reiterated the protesters’ demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, whose exit had become a key demand of the nationwide movement over alleged examination irregularities.
The Bihar Bandh, called in support of students protesting the paper leak controversy and police action against demonstrators, received a mixed response across the state. While Patna witnessed demonstrations, road blockades and incidents of stone-pelting, several other districts, including Nalanda, Nawada, Jehanabad and Rohtas, reported limited disruption, according to police.
Members of various Left-affiliated student organisations also staged protests in different parts of Bihar, with clashes reported between protesters and police in some locations. Security personnel were deployed at key junctions to maintain law and order as demonstrations continued through the day.
Police did not immediately issue a detailed statement on Yadav’s detention or confirm whether any formal charges had been filed. The protest concluded amid heightened security, with authorities continuing to monitor the situation across the state.
