Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Friday alleged that a Mumbai police officer in plain clothes had molested a female student during a protest at Dadar.
He shared a video of the incident and demanded an apology from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
In a post on X, Sapkal wrote, "Devendra Fadnavis, apologise!" alleging that the police "have become so rogue that they are violating the modesty of female students the age of their own daughters."
देवेंद्र फडणीस माफी मागा ????
— Harshwardhan Sapkal (@INCHarshsapkal) July 24, 2026
स्वतःला देवाभाऊ म्हणवून घेणारा,तर दुर्योधन निघाला !
दुर्योधनाने सत्तेच्या अहंकारात द्रौपदीचे वस्त्रहरण केले होते देवाभाऊंचे पोलीस इतके मस्तवाल झाले आहे की ते आपल्या मुलीच्या वयाच्या विद्यार्थीनींचा विनयभंग करत आहेत.
आमच्या लेकींच्या अब्रूवर हात… pic.twitter.com/tlX9uJTTt1
He said officers responsible for such conduct "must be immediately dismissed from the police force and thrown behind bars." He also took a swipe at the state's law and order situation, using the #PandurangHavaldar in an apparent jibe at Maharashtra's Home Minister.
In the video shared with the post, a man in plainclothes is seen in a crowd at Dadar allegedly inappropriately touching a woman.
The allegation comes amid weeks of unrest in Maharashtra over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, with protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and backed by opposition parties, including the Congress.
Protests demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak have spread from Delhi's Jantar Mantar to Mumbai, with Dadar emerging as a key protest site.
The demonstrations have triggered repeated clashes with police. Earlier this week, a Mumbai Police driver was removed from duty after a viral video showed him allegedly threatening student protesters with false narcotics charges, prompting an inquiry ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
ALSO READ: Viral Video: Mumbai Cop Suspended As Viral Video Captures 'Drugs' Threat To Protesters
Sapkal's latest allegation adds to a running confrontation between the Congress and the Fadnavis-led state government over the policing of the protests.
Congress leaders, including Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, have previously accused the state police of "hooliganism in khaki" in dealing with demonstrators.
Mumbai Police Responds
Mumbai Police rejected the allegations, responding to Congress leader Professor Varsha Eknath Gaikwad's post questioning the viral video and asking why a male officer was handling a female protester.
In its reply on X, the police said the video was "being irresponsibly misinterpreted," claiming the officer was trying to restrain a male protester when a woman inadvertently stepped between them while he was looking away.
Ma'am, please note, this is being irresponsibly misinterpreted- the official, while managing law & order there, was trying to hold on to a male protestor when a lady unknowingly stepped in between, while he was looking away- Being a public figure, you are expected to verify… https://t.co/xwVqirsYf1
— मुंबई पोलीस Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) July 24, 2026
The force also asked Gaikwad to verify the facts before drawing conclusions, saying senior officers had reviewed the footage and verified the incident.
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