The organisers alleged several activists and youth leaders were detained even before the protest began. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)A day after Mumbai Police detained and later released hundreds of protesters demonstrating over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, scores of participants began receiving police notices on WhatsApp in the early hours of Tuesday, directing them to appear before investigating officers. Student organisations claimed that notices had been issued to hundreds of protesters across the city, calling it an attempt to intimidate young people.Police said the notices were issued under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which requires an accused in offences punishable with imprisonment of less than seven years to appear before the investigating officer instead of being arrested.On Monday, Mumbai Police registered at least seven FIRs against more than 300 persons in connection with protests held across the city in support of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and activist Sonam Wangchuk. Around 600 people who participated in the protest outside Shivaji Park have also been named in the FIRs, taking the total number of those named to nearly 900.A senior police officer confirmed that some of those named in the FIRs registered at Shivaji Park police station had been served notices under the BNSS provision.Among those who received a notice was Mumbai-based law student Shreya Subramaniyam, who said she woke up on Tuesday to find a WhatsApp message sent around 2.45 am asking her to appear before the Shivaji Park police station. Subramaniyam said she had been detained on Monday after intervening when she saw protesters being taken into police vehicles. “None of us thought there would be anything more to it,” she told The Indian Express.Student organisations claimed the notices had been issued on an unprecedented scale.Aamir Kazi of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) alleged that Mahim police station alone had issued over 100 notices. “Normally, police action is taken against organisers or activists, not individual participants. We believe these notices are intended to create fear among young people,” he said.Story continues below this adActivists said several lawyers had volunteered to represent those facing police action. Calling the legal support reassuring, Subramaniyam said receiving a police notice could still be intimidating. “Even as a law student who understands the legal procedure, it is a frightening experience for someone who simply wanted to participate in a democratic protest,” she said.She said she had joined the protest in solidarity with students affected by alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. “Medicine is a profession where merit cannot be compromised. If we do not question such irregularities today, they could be repeated in other competitive examinations tomorrow,” she said.Meanwhile, Mumbai Against Suppression of Students (MASS), a collective of youth organisations, condemned the police action, calling it “a blatant use of law to suppress the dissenting voices of students.”Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. 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Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read MoreMohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems. Experience & Authority Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field. Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus. Key Beats: Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch. Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force. Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict. Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations. Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed. Credentials & Trustworthiness Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order. He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Mumbai protestNEET