Supreme Court forms five-member panel to probe allegations of police excesses in July 20 NEET protest

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday constituted a five-member high-powered committee to investigate the July 20 NEET protest in New Delhi and allegations of police excesses against protesters.

The committee will be headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy. The other members are former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla and former Meghalaya DGP L.R. Bishnoi.

The panel has been tasked with looking into allegations of excessive police action during the protest.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had organised a march to Parliament on July 20 as part of its agitation over the NEET paper leak. The march witnessed clashes between protesters and police, with allegations of lathi-charge and the use of pellet guns against demonstrators.

The formation of the panel comes amid continuing questions over the police action during the protest and the injuries suffered by protesters.

Further details of the Supreme Court's order and the committee's terms of reference are awaited.