The Abduction of Zunaid: How Police Targeted CJP Volunteers During the NEET Protests

While the political fallout of the 2026 NEET crisis dominated national headlines with the resignation of the Education Minister, a darker, more terrifying narrative was unfolding on the ground.

As the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) maintained its iron grip on Jantar Mantar, the state apparatus allegedly resorted to extreme, extrajudicial intimidation tactics to break the logistics of the protest. At the center of this terrifying ordeal is Mohammad Junaid (frequently referred to as Zunaid), a dedicated CJP volunteer whose story of abduction has shocked the nation and drawn the immediate attention of the Supreme Court.

The Crime: Feeding the Protesters

Zunaid was not a political mastermind or a violent agitator. According to CJP leadership, his primary role was logistical. As thousands of students camped out in the brutal Delhi summer heat, Zunaid was the key volunteer responsible for organizing the distribution of food and drinking water at the Jantar Mantar protest site.

However, authorities apparently identified this logistical support as a critical vulnerability. By cutting off the food and water supply, they could effectively starve out the protesters. To achieve this, law enforcement agencies allegedly launched a coordinated, multi-state harassment campaign against Zunaid and his family.

The Ghaziabad Raid and Family Detentions

The intimidation began at Zunaid’s home. According to public allegations, the Uttar Pradesh Police conducted a sudden, aggressive raid on his residence in Ghaziabad. During this raid, authorities detained his father and brother without formal charges.

The harassment did not stop there. Zunaid alleged that police also targeted his extended relatives in Meerut, heavily pressuring the family to force Zunaid to abandon his volunteer work with the CJP and return home immediately. The state claimed these raids were part of a "wider investigative effort" to track the funding behind the protests, but activists condemned it as blatant hostage-taking.

Abducted and Blindfolded in Delhi

The most horrifying escalation occurred on the night of Friday, July 24, 2026. Zunaid alleges that he was suddenly picked up off the streets of New Delhi by plainclothes officers belonging to the Delhi Police.

According to his harrowing account, he was blindfolded, thrown into a vehicle, and subjected to intense, threatening interrogation regarding the CJP's internal operations and leadership structures. After hours of psychological torment, his captors drove him far outside the city limits and abandoned him in the hills of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

Release and Supreme Court Intervention

Following massive public outcry and intense media scrutiny generated by the CJP, the authorities rapidly backed down. By July 26, Zunaid had safely returned, and his father and brother were released from UP Police custody.

The terrifying ordeal has not gone unnoticed by the highest judiciary. As of July 27, 2026, the Supreme Court of India has officially taken note of several petitions regarding severe "police excesses" and intimidation tactics used during the NEET protests. The Court issued a stern reminder to the state that the right to peaceful protest is constitutionally guaranteed, and extrajudicial abductions will not be tolerated.

An Islamic Perspective on Oppression (Zulm)

The story of Zunaid is a textbook example of Zulm (oppression)—the act of exploiting power to inflict unjust harm upon the vulnerable. In Islam, standing against such oppression, especially when it targets those who are simply providing water to the thirsty, is a highly righteous act.

"Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Zunaid's commitment to feeding the protesters, despite the terrifying threats to his own life and family, exemplifies the Islamic virtues of charity (Sadaqah) and steadfastness (Istiqamah). The state's attempt to break the protest through fear ultimately failed, serving only to strengthen the resolve of the youth.