Two arrested after Brahmin boy forced to take off sacred thread during NEET in Kalaburagi

KALABURAGI: The Station Bazaar police have registered a case against two people after a NEET aspirant, Shripad Patil, was made to remove his janivara (janeu, sacred thread) at the exam centre on Sunday.

Shripad had complained that that his religious sentiments were hurt based on which and FIR was registered against Sharanagouda and Ganesh under BNS Section 298, police commissioner Dr Sharanappa said.

“We have arrested Sharanagouda and Ganesh who are employed with a private agency. The incident occurred at the St Mary’s PU College exam centre on Sunday. Further investigation is under way”, the SP said.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Members of the Brahmin community protest outside a NEET examination centre, located at St. Mary’s School in Kalaburagi, after a candidate – Shripad Patil was made to remove his ‘Janeu’ (sacred thread) and then allowed to take the exam. pic.twitter.com/FK0AAPf6ag

— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2025

Members of the Brahmin community, along with activists of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had staged a protest on Sunday against the student being asked to remove his janivara. They were stopped by the police when they tried to barge into the exam centre.

Shripad had removed his janivara and handed it over to his father Sudhir Patil. After appearing for the test, he, along with other protesters, put on a new janivara amid chanting of hymns. Shripad is a native of Betabalakunda village in Basavakalyan taluk of Bidar district and is studying at a private college in Kalaburagi.