'Will ruin your lives with drug cases': Mumbai police threat to students goes viral

A Mumbai police officer has been caught on camera threatening arrested students with dire consequences if they join protests again. The video, recorded inside a police van on Wednesday (July 22), went viral on social media, sparking outrage.

In the video, an officer is heard telling detained students that they will be slapped with false drug cases if they return to the protests. He explicitly warns that such cases would destroy their lives, with no bail and a future rotting in jail. The officer also threatens to plant 50 grams of powder in their pockets if they are seen protesting again, adding that their lives would be over.

At one point, the officer admits that the police are the ones suffering because of the students. A student sitting in the back of the van is seen laughing during the exchange.

After the video spread, Congress and the Congress Janata Party (CJP) shared it and strongly criticised the incident. Mumbai Police took swift action, removing the officer from duty and ordering an investigation.

Mumbai DCP (Operations) Akbar Pathan said appropriate action would be taken after verifying the facts.

The student protests, which began in Delhi demanding a probe into question paper leaks and the resignation of the education minister, have spread to Mumbai. Students have been holding large protests at Shivaji Park, Chembur, Azad Maidan and other key locations over the past few days. The movement intensified after Monday's police lathi-charge in Delhi, with Bollywood star Imran Khan among those expressing solidarity.

Social media has seen strong reactions to the police conduct, with many asserting that such threats against peaceful protests are unacceptable.