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Mumbai: Superstar Salman Khan on Thursday, July 23, appealed to students protesting over the NEET paper leak to return home, saying he was confident that the government will take strict action against the culprits.

In a fresh post on X, the actor said the safety and education of students should remain the top priority and urged them not to worry.

“The students are the top priority, educationally and security-wise, so they need not worry and have their parents worried for them. The Honourable Prime Minister has tweeted, and I am sure that he will take strict action against all those people who are responsible for this leak. So students, plz go back to your parents n homes,” Khan wrote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X on Thursday morning, announced setting up of fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks, and said, “nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth”.

In his message, Salman also urged activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite hunger strike.

“Sonam, it’s done, bro. Don’t extend this. Keep the spirit for another day if there be a need, which I doubt, n eat something. If u want, will send u food from home,” he wrote.

Led by the Cockroach Janata Party, students have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since June 20, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, reforms to the examination system and justice for students affected by paper leaks.

The agitation, which has drawn thousands of students and young people to the heart of the national capital, gained momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the movement with an indefinite hunger strike.

On Wednesday, Khan had backed the students’ agitation, describing the alleged paper leak as a “very serious issue” and expressing sympathy for those injured during the protest.

The actor had also praised the students for conducting a peaceful movement and urged that the issue should not be “hijacked politically”, saying the credit belongs solely to the students.

He had expressed hope that the government would strengthen the education system and address their concerns.

The protests have drawn support from several film personalities, including Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Rajkummar Rao, Revathy, Tovino Thomas, Anurag Kashyap and Arijit Singh.