'Your life will be finished': Mumbai cop's alleged threat to students caught on camera

Mumbai: A viral video allegedly showing a Mumbai policeman threatening protesting students with a false drug case has sparked fresh controversy over the Mumbai Police's handling of demonstrations linked to the online platform Cockroach Janta Party.

The protests, which have drawn large numbers of students and citizens over the past few days, have been held at several locations across the city, including Shivaji Park, Chembur and Azad Maidan.

The video, shared by the Mumbai Congress on X, appears to show a group of young protesters inside a police van after being detained from a protest site. In the footage, a policeman seated in the front of the vehicle is heard warning the students not to return to future demonstrations.

"If you are seen again here, I will ruin your lives," the policeman tells the students.

He then allegedly threatens to implicate them in a fabricated narcotics case, saying: "I will put 50-50 grams of powder in your bags and your life will be finished."

The officer also tells the students that their participation in the protests has made his job difficult.

Following the circulation of the video, Mumbai Police said they had initiated an inquiry into the authenticity of the footage and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Pending the outcome of the investigation, the driver seen in uniform in the video has been removed from his current posting. Police officials said further action would be taken based on the findings of the inquiry.

Reacting to the video, the Mumbai Congress alleged that the incident reflected an attempt to intimidate student protesters.

Posting the clip on X, the party said: "A viral video claims that @MumbaiPolice is threatening protesting students that if they return to demonstrate again, they will be framed in false drug cases and forced to rot in jail for their entire lives."

"If this is true, it's not just an attempt to intimidate students, but a direct attack on democratic rights. Raising one's voice is not a crime. Students' questions should be answered with accountability, not threats," the post added.

The video has also renewed scrutiny of Mumbai Police's broader response to the ongoing student protests.

Earlier reports indicated that authorities had adopted targeted measures to prevent repeat participation in demonstrations, including digitally tracking protesters and making visits to their homes.

According to reports, protesters named in First Information Reports (FIRs) or served legal notices received phone calls and messages from local police stations directing them to remain at home and share their live WhatsApp location to verify compliance.

Legal notices under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were also reportedly issued through messaging applications in the early hours of the morning, asking recipients to appear for questioning in connection with earlier protests.