Tina Dabi: IAS officer Tina Dabi has rejected allegations that college students protesting against an examination fee hike in Rajasthan’s Barmer district were detained for calling her a “reel star”, saying no arrests or detentions were made. Dabi, who made history as the first Dalit woman to top the UPSC examination in 2015, said the students were taken to a police station briefly only to defuse tensions after they blocked a road.
‘No One Was Arrested Or Detained,’ Says Collector
Speaking to reporters, the Barmer district collector said the fee-related issue had already been addressed, but a section of students continued to block traffic. “No one was arrested or even detained. Some students were creating a nuisance by blocking the road. They were taken to the police station for talks and to cool down, and they left within two hours,” Dabi said.
She added that the matter was resolved on the ground soon after.
How The Protest Escalated
The incident began on Saturday when students from Maharana Bhupal College (MBC) staged a protest against an examination fee hike and sought to meet the district collector. Tensions rose after an official described Dabi as a “role model” for the students.
Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) objected to the remark, alleging that the officer was more focused on social media activity than student concerns. Some protesters referred to her as a “reel star”, statements that later went viral.
Police Deny Detention, Political Reactions Follow
Senior police officer Manoj Kumar also denied allegations of detention or mistreatment. He said four students were brought to the police station briefly to calm the situation and were later allowed to leave.
Following the incident, students gathered outside the police station demanding an apology from the administration. The episode drew political reactions as well, with Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticising the handling of the situation, calling it reflective of growing intolerance within the bureaucracy.
