Police Continue Crackdown After Bihar Bandh, 355 Arrested, Deny Anyone Injured In Firing

· Free Press Journal

Patna: Bihar Police arrested 355 people and sent them to jail following widespread violence and protests across the state in connection with the Bihar bandh held on Saturday, as the crackdown on those accused of participating in the shutdown continues.

The bandh was organised in support of student protests at Jantar Mantar and other locations, where demonstrators demanded the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy.

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Protesters hurled stones, torched vehicles and vandalised public property. Dozens of police personnel, including two Superintendents of Police (SPs), sustained injuries. Visuals also emerged of police personnel firing an AK-47 in Siwan.

Bihar Police Headquarters also issued a clarification regarding the reported AK-47 firing in Siwan. Police stated that on 25 July, near JP Chowk, constable Abhishek Kumar fired four rounds in the air after being surrounded by protesters, claiming the action was taken to protect government property and police personnel.

Police maintained that no protester was injured by the aerial firing. However, constable Abhishek Kumar has been suspended with immediate effect, and departmental disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against him.

Separate FIRs have been registered at Siwan Town police station based on statements from three injured youths—Mohd. Arif, Akash Kumar, and Bullet Kumar Gaur.

According to the police, the three were injured at different locations approximately 1.5 to 2 kilometres from JP Chowk, where the firing occurred. Doctors have said that all three are out of danger, and Mohd. Arif has since been discharged from Medanta Hospital.

Siwan Superintendent of Police Puran Jha said the preliminary investigation has not established that anyone was injured by AK-47 fire. He added that a District Intelligence Unit (DIU) team was passing through the area while investigating a murder that had taken place earlier that morning.

A joint inquiry is currently being conducted under the supervision of the Commissioner and the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and the investigation report is still pending.

According to a a statement issued by Bihar police headquarters on Monday, 694 people were detained across the state. Following verification, 339 minors and students were released, while 355 individuals allegedly involved in violent incidents were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.

Police said the demonstrations led to serious law-and-order disturbances in several districts. A total of 91 police officers and personnel were injured, including the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Siwan and Sitamarhi and two Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs). Several Station House Officers (SHOs) also sustained injuries, with the Gandhi Maidan Police Station SHO reported to be seriously injured.

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The violence resulted in damage to 14 government vehicles, while one vehicle was set on fire. Police also reported that 13 civilians were injured during the unrest.

In Saran district, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Sadar Block suffered serious injuries. According to the police, he lost vision in one eye and is undergoing treatment at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS). The Revelganj BDO was also critically injured in an alleged life-threatening attack, sustaining a severe head injury and undergoing surgery at Medanta Hospital. Both officers remain under medical treatment.

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