‘Reel Star’ remark sparks row in Barmer, Tina Dabi denies arrest claims

Rajasthan college students allege detention after protest remarks against Barmer Collector Tina Dabi, while police and the IAS officer firmly deny any arrests

A controversy has erupted in Rajasthan’s Barmer district after students protesting against an increase in examination fees alleged that they were arrested for calling District Collector Tina Dabi a “reel star.” The claim has been strongly denied by both the police and the senior IAS officer herself.

The protest took place on Saturday outside Maharani Bhupal College (MBC) Girls’ College in Barmer. Students had gathered to oppose the hike in exam fees and said they wanted to meet District Collector Tina Dabi to present their demands. Dabi, who cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in her first attempt at the age of 22, is widely known as a youth icon and role model.

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According to students, tensions escalated when an official described Tina Dabi as a “role model.” Some students, allegedly linked to the BJP-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), objected to the remark and criticised the Collector, saying she focused more on making social media reels than addressing student issues. They later claimed they were arrested after their protest ended.

Following these allegations, several students gathered outside the police station demanding the release of those allegedly detained and seeking an apology from the district administration.

However, senior police officer Manoj Kumar rejected the arrest claims, stating that no students were arrested or formally detained. He clarified that four male students were briefly brought to the police station only to calm the situation and were later allowed to leave. He also stressed that no female students were mistreated.

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District Collector Tina Dabi also issued a written statement dismissing the allegations. She said the fee hike issue had already been resolved and accused a few students of attempting to block roads and create disturbance. She confirmed that the students were taken to the police station and released within two hours, after which the situation returned to normal. Dabi added that the issue was being kept alive mainly on social media for misinformation and cheap publicity.

The issue gained political attention after Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the alleged action on social media platform X, accusing officials of intolerance and misuse of power. Her remarks came before official clarifications were issued.