Mumbai Police Intensify Preventive Measures to Curb Repeat Participation in Student Protests

New Delhi, July 23, 2026 Law enforcement agencies across Mumbai have adopted a more targeted approach to prevent repeat participation in student demonstrations linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests. After several days of rallies at locations such as Shivaji Park, Chembur, and Azad Maidan, authorities have shifted towards direct engagement with individuals previously associated with the protests in an effort to discourage further mobilisation. Students named in existing First Information Reports (FIRs) or those who had earlier received legal notices reported being contacted directly by local police stations through phone calls and messaging platforms. Social media posts and verified screenshots indicate that, in some cases, senior police officials instructed individuals to remain at home and keep their WhatsApp live location active to confirm compliance. Additionally, notices under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were sent digitally during the early hours, directing recipients to appear for questioning in connection with previous protest gatherings. Police teams also carried out visits to the homes of student demonstrators across Mumbai’s suburbs and nearby municipal regions. During these visits, officers informed families about ongoing investigations and advised students against joining further demonstrations. Security personnel were also deployed near key metro stations and railway hubs to identify and redirect people travelling towards protest venues, while records of previously detained individuals were circulated among police stations to facilitate quicker identification during field checks. Senior police officials maintained that the measures are preventive and intended to protect young people from acquiring criminal records that could affect passport applications, higher education opportunities, and future employment. However, lawyers representing protesters and legal rights groups argued that practices such as electronic location monitoring, checks of messaging groups, and home visits go beyond routine preventive policing and raise concerns over privacy rights and the constitutional freedom of movement.