SFI leaders detained during NEET-UG protest in Hyderabad

SFI members staged an indefinite hunger strike in Hyderabad over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Police detained several SFI leaders, prompting the organisation to condemn the action and seek their release

Hyderabad: The members of the Student Federation of India (SFI) organised an indefinite hunger strike at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad on Monday in solidarity with students and youth protesting at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, against the National Testing Agency (NTA) following widespread allegations of a NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

The protest, which was also attended by CPI State Secretary Jaggula John Wesley and former MLA Julakanti Ranga Reddy, saw the protesting student leaders demand the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

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Along with the student leaders, senior leaders John Wesley and Julakanti Ranga Reddy criticised the Centre’s silence over the examination irregularities, calling it inhumane given the distress caused to students.

The event took a tense turn when police personnel intervened and arrested several key SFI leaders, including State president S Rajinikanth and State Secretary T Nagaraju, foiling the hunger strike.

Condemning the development, the SFI members said the police action was an attack on their democratic rights. They demanded the immediate release of those detained and the dissolution of the NTA.

The SFI protest drew support from various student organisations, whose members took part in the strike in large numbers.