Bihar Police Suspend Personnel After AK-47 Discharge During Student Demostrations
Siwan authorities have suspended officers caught on camera firing automatic weapons during recent NEET paper leak protests. The incident has drawn national condemnation and accusations of systemic brutality from opposition leaders.
Law Enforcement Accountability Following Violent Clashes
Superintendent of Police Puran Kumar Jha announced on July 27, 2026, that formal discipline has been initiated against Bihar police personnel who utilized an AK-47 during a student-led demonstration. The officers involved in the documented weapon discharge have been suspended effective immediately. This development follows a weekend of unrest in Siwan, which escalated on July 26, 2026, into a direct confrontation between security forces and protesters.
Tactical Escalation and Patna Unrest
The demonstrations originally focused on the NEET paper leak controversy, with students demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. While police initially utilized tear gas and lathicharge tactics to counter alleged stone-pelting, the introduction of automatic firearms changed the nature of the engagement. The unrest spread beyond Siwan as social organizations and opposition parties called for a statewide shutdown. In Patna, the situation deteriorated as demonstrators reportedly overturned and damaged police vehicles, leading to massive security mobilizations across the capital city.
National Political Fallout and Allegations of Excess
The use of high-caliber weaponry against civilian protesters has sparked fierce criticism from the Leader of Opposition. MP Rahul Gandhi characterized the administration's response as a patterns of state-led crackdowns occurring across Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Gandhi condemned the use of pellet guns and AK-47s, labeling the current systemic approach toward the academic community as hostile and dishonest. Key points of recent developments include:
- Siwan SP confirms the suspension of officers following the July 25 weapon discharge.
- Rahul Gandhi demands an unconditional apology from the Prime Minister’s office.
- Reports verify the filing of FIRs and arrests of hundreds of student participants.
- Opposition leaders claim the government has reneged on promises to avoid legal action against demonstrators.
Gandhi highlighted a perceived discrepancy between government assurances of restraint and the recent deployment of deadly force in Delhi and Bihar, urging immediate accountability for all security units involved in the crackdown.
Source: The Hindu — Home
