Madhya Pradesh police detain 14 students en route to Delhi CJP protest

Police personnel at Itarsi railway station in Madhya Pradesh intercepted 14 students traveling on the Goa Express to Delhi on grounds that they lacked authorization to attend a protest, according to officials involved in the operation.

When questioned about whether citizens require official permission to participate in demonstrations, a Government Railway Police (GRP) officer stated that approval is mandatory. "There has to be a system to stop all this. And we acted as per the orders we received," the officer said.

The students were reportedly removed from the train before it continued toward the national capital. Officials indicated that the action was taken following directives from higher authorities, though the specific instructions and their source were not disclosed.

The incident comes amid ongoing debate over the balance between maintaining public order and protecting constitutional rights. Activists and legal experts have previously contended that Indian citizens retain the fundamental right to assemble and protest under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution, regardless of prior permission requirements.

The circumstances surrounding the detention and the justification cited by railway authorities have drawn scrutiny from civil liberties observers monitoring restrictions on democratic participation across India.