“Reel Maker”: Students Detained For Offensive Remarks On Barmer Collector Tina Dabi; Why Protests Have Intensified Against Her

Tina Dabi: A student protest outside a government college in Rajasthan’s Barmer district escalated into a wider controversy after remarks targeting District Collector Tina Dabi went viral on social media, shifting attention away from the original issue of a fee hike to questions of authority, dissent and governance.

‘Reel Star’ Remark Goes Viral

Students protesting against what they described as an inaccessible and unresponsive college administration accused officials of prioritizing public outreach over addressing campus grievances. During a heated exchange, some protesters referred to District Collector Tina Dabi as a “reel star” rather than a “role model”, a comment meant to criticise what they saw as an overemphasis on social media presence.

The remark, captured on a mobile phone and widely shared online, quickly overshadowed the core demand of rolling back increased fees, triggering a broader debate over respect for public office and the tone of student dissent.

Why Protests Have Intensified

As the video spread, police detained several student leaders, prompting more protesters to gather outside the local police station. Students alleged the detentions were excessive and aimed at silencing democratic protest, while police maintained the action was preventive, taken to avoid further escalation.

By evening, tensions had risen sharply, with sloganeering and accusations that the police were acting under administrative pressure. The episode highlighted how quickly campus protests can spill into public spaces once amplified by viral content.

Apology Brings Temporary Calm

With the situation worsening, Barmer Superintendent of Police Narendra Singh intervened directly. Addressing students at the police station, he acknowledged that the handling of the situation had gone wrong. “We accept that a mistake was made,” he said in a statement later circulated online.

Following the apology, detained students were released and the protest gradually dispersed. While calm has returned, the original demand over the fee hike remains unresolved, leaving open questions about administrative accountability. The incident has reignited discussion on how authorities engage with student protests in the digital age, where brief video clips can rapidly reshape public narratives and test the balance between power and accountability.

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