Bihar policeman seen firing with AK-47 at protesters suspended

Action has been taken against police personnel who were seen firing an AK-47 during a student protest on Saturday in Bihar's Siwan, Superintendent of Police Puran Kumar Jha told ANI on Monday. On Sunday, student protests in Siwan turned violent as demonstrators clashed with police personnel in the area. Following reports of stone-pelting, police fired tear gas shells and resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the crowd, which was demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy. Similar unrest was reported in Patna during a statewide shutdown in Bihar called by opposition parties and social organisations over the paper leak controversy and police action against student agitators.

During the protest, demonstrators allegedly vandalised and toppled police vehicles in Patna, prompting increased police mobilisation across affected areas. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, accusing the administration of being "murderous" towards the student community.

In a post on X, the Congress leader alleged that the government is using extreme force, including AK-47s and pellet guns, to suppress student voices across various states. "The entire system is downright murderous against students. News is coming in that AK-47 bullets have been fired at protesting students in Bihar, and hundreds of students have been arrested with FIRs being filed against them," Gandhi said in his post.

Questioning the Prime Minister over previous assurances regarding the treatment of student protesters, the Leader of Opposition asked, "Mr Modi, where did your promise go that no FIRs would be filed against students and they would be released? Instead, deadly attacks and brutality are being unleashed on them." Gandhi further highlighted what he described as a nationwide pattern of state-led crackdowns on students. "In Delhi, pellet guns were fired at students, and in Bihar, AK-47s. Whether it's Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, or Delhi--the pattern is the same everywhere. I've said it before: this government is dishonest. Real reform is beyond their capability. They'll backtrack on their words and use every trick in the book to suppress students' voices," he added. Concluding his statement, the Congress leader demanded an unconditional apology from the Prime Minister and called for accountability for the security forces involved.