New Delhi, July 21: Amid the Opposition’s criticism over the violence during the NEET-UG paper leak protest, the National Democratic Alliance leaders on Tuesday came in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that the government took swift action over the exam irregularities, asserting that the Centre stands with the country’s ‘Yuva Shakti’ (youth power).

During the NDA’s ‘Mangal Milan’ programme, PM Modi stated that the issue of paper leaks is “not limited” to a single state or the Central government; rather, it is a “matter of concern for the entire nation”, while adding that the government has acted promptly, resulting in the arrest of 13 individuals related to the case so far.

Responding to the same, Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale said: “The Prime Minister has explained about the NEET exam that whatever has happened is not right, and lakhs of students have faced difficulties. Those who have made such an attempt have all been caught, and they should be punished severely.”

“He (Prime Minister) has said that along with the Central government, it is also the responsibility of the state governments and their administration to ensure that such instances don’t occur during exams,” Athawale told media outside Parliament House.

He asserted that the “government stands with Yuva Shakti”.

“We are in the government due to the youths. Whatever Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is saying is baseless,” the Union Minister added.

NCP MP Praful Patel added that Prime Minister Modi “heavily praised” the youth power of India.

“To further promote this youth power and keep their future secure, we should take all possible steps. Incidents like NEET and other such events that have occurred should never be repeated; we have taken a resolve for this too. The contribution of India’s youth, from space to every field, has been greatly praised by PM Modi,” he told media.

Further, BJP MP Ravi Kishan said: “PM Modi has given a big message that the best legal counsel in the country should be hired to ensure that all those involved (in paper leaks) are severely punished so that going ahead no one dares to mess with the future of the children in the nation, just to earn a few lakhs of rupees.”

However, AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the Centre, asking, “What about the students who died? What about those who had to reappear for the exam but could not secure the same rank? Their time has already been lost. What will you do for them?”

This comes a day after scores of students, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), attempted to march to Parliament demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the May 3 NEET paper leak.

Patna, July 21: Two shocking incidents of violent crime were reported in Bihar on Monday, with a key witness in a murder case shot dead in Jehanabad and a retired bank employee along with his wife found murdered in their Muzaffarpur residence. Police have launched separate investigations into both cases.

Police have launched separate investigations into both cases.

A man was shot dead by armed assailants near Dakra Mor under the Makhdumpur police station area of Jehanabad district. The deceased has been identified as Vijay Yadav, a resident of Parsauna village.

According to police, Vijay Yadav was returning home with his son after getting wheat milled when more than a dozen motorcycle-borne criminals intercepted them. The attackers allegedly first tried to seize his son, who managed to escape, before opening fire on Vijay Yadav.

He died on the spot after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, while the assailants fled. The victim’s son, Amarnath Yadav, alleged that his father was murdered to prevent him from testifying in court.

According to the family, Vijay Yadav was the principal witness in the murder case of his elder son and was scheduled to depose before the court on August 6. They claim the accused eliminated him to influence the ongoing trial.

Police reached the scene soon after the incident, recovered the body, and sent it to Sadar Hospital, Jehanabad, for post-mortem examination. They said all possible angles, including the alleged witness-related motive, are being examined, while raids are underway to arrest those involved.

In a separate incident, a retired Punjab National Bank (PNB) cashier, Ashok Kunwar, and his wife Neelam Devi were found murdered inside their residence in Muzaffarpur late Monday evening.

The case came to light after the couple’s son, Dr. Nikhil Kumar, noticed suspicious activity through CCTV cameras connected to his mobile phone. The footage reportedly showed two unidentified men entering the premises and captured his mother running towards the rooftop.

When repeated calls to his parents went unanswered, he alerted a neighbour, who discovered the bodies and informed the police.

Police said Ashok Kunwar’s body was found in a bedroom on the second floor with multiple stab injuries, particularly on his back. Neelam Devi’s body was recovered from a room on the third floor. Police found her hands and feet tied with rope and adhesive tape covering her mouth.

Preliminary findings indicate that she may have died due to strangulation. A forensic team and dog squad examined the crime scene. Investigators recovered several items, including gloves, adhesive tape, and a bag, which have been seized for forensic examination.

Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police Kantesh Kumar Mishra said preliminary evidence suggests the murders occurred on Monday evening. CCTV footage has revealed two suspects, whose identities are being established.

Police also plan to question the three tenants residing in the building as part of the investigation. Officials said the exact cause of death and sequence of events will be confirmed after the post-mortem reports and forensic analysis.

New Delhi, July 21: Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday said that his meeting with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) members was “fine”.

Two representatives of the CJP met Nadda at his residence on Monday. They submitted a written memorandum outlining the group’s three key demands after holding detailed discussions earlier in the day.

When asked about his talks with the CJP members, Nadda, while arriving for the NDA’s ‘Mangal Milan’ programme, said, “It went well. It (a meeting) always goes well.” However, he did not comment on the “assurances” given to the protestors.

According to government sources, the first meeting took place at around 11:50 a.m., when the CJP delegation presented its demands verbally. Nadda asked the representatives to submit them in writing. At around 4 p.m., the delegation returned and handed over a written memorandum detailing their demands.

The CJP delegation, represented by spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, demanded the release of social activist Sonam Wangchuk without any restrictions on his movement, the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET 2026 paper leak controversy.

Government sources said that no assurances were given by Nadda on any of the three demands during the meeting. However, the Union Minister appealed to the protesters to withdraw their month-long sit-in at Jantar Mantar and cooperate with the administration in restoring normalcy in the high-security area near Parliament.

Following the meeting, Nadda took to X and said the discussions were held in a cordial atmosphere and noted that the CJP itself had approached the government seeking talks. He confirmed that the delegation submitted its written petition at around 4 p.m. after extensive discussions that began earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, the demonstrators stayed at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday morning, persistently continuing their protest the day after violent confrontations occurred between them and security forces in Delhi during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ March.

After police dismantled the stage and tents from Jantar Mantar, the protesters reclaimed the area. Following a call from the CJP for the protest to persist, demonstrators began to arrive at Jantar Mantar early Tuesday. A significant presence of police and RAF personnel remained deployed at the location.

The clashes erupted on Monday as thousands of supporters of the CJP and students marched from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over recurring examination irregularities, including the NEET-UG paper leaks.

The Delhi Police have intensified their investigation into the violence that erupted on Monday, and officials are relying extensively on video evidence to identify those involved in the unrest.

Investigators are examining more than 250 videos, including mobile phone recordings, CCTV footage, drone camera visuals and footage captured through police body-worn cameras, to trace the individuals allegedly responsible for the violence.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) at the Connaught Place police station in connection with the commotion and vandalism reported in the area.