Cop seen firing AK-47 at Bihar student protest suspended; petition filed in SC

A Public Interest Litigation has now been filed before the Supreme Court by Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha in connection with an incident in which the now-suspended police personnel was seen firing at protesters in Bihar.

In Short

• Sources say Bihar cop fired 4-5 rounds at protesters
• Opposition demands action; police inquiry underway
• Bihar shutdown saw clashes, lathicharge, tear gas and water cannons used

A police officer in Bihar, who was seen firing an AK-47 at protesting students during the July 25 'Bihar Bandh' against NEET exam paper irregularities, has been suspended. However, sources said that at least four to five rounds were fired, although the video accessed by India Today captured only one shot being fired.

A Public Interest Litigation has now been filed before the Supreme Court by Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha in connection with the incident.

In the video, the cop, Abhishek Patel, wearing a blue helmet and a bulletproof vest, could be seen charging towards the protesters. At least one shot could be heard and seen in the video before the cop urged his colleagues to follow him. One of them then approached, stooped down and appeared to pick up something from the ground before throwing it at the protesters.

The statewide shutdown saw large demonstrations by student organisations across several districts, with clashes reported between protesters and police at multiple locations, including instances of stone-pelting targeting security personnel. Police used lathicharge, tear gas and water cannons at various protest sites across the state to disperse the unruly crowds.

Meanwhile, three protesters injured in the firing in Siwan are being treated at Jayprabha Medanta Hospital in Patna, and their condition has been reported as stable. Among them is 15-year-old Md Arif, who works at a shop and, according to his family, was struck in the neck by a bullet while returning home after closing the shop during the shutdown, according to local media reports.

Doctors later removed the bullet surgically, and his condition is now stable, his family told the local media. In Patna, numerous students gathered and marched towards Gandhi Maidan as part of the statewide shutdown. While they were raising slogans, the situation deteriorated after an altercation broke out between the protesters and the police.

Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in Bihar, called for action against the officials found guilty and posted a video of the incident in which the cop can be seen firing at the students.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also raised the issue and said the pattern was the same everywhere, referring to the use of pellet guns in Delhi against protesting students and AK-47s in Bihar.

Police officials said maintaining law and order was the force's primary responsibility and that any violation of established procedures was taken seriously. They said a detailed departmental inquiry had been initiated and that further action would be decided on the basis of its findings. The inquiry is expected to determine whether the use of the firearm was in line with police protocols and whether any disciplinary or legal action is warranted.

- Ends
Inputs from Rohit Singh, Chandan Kumar and Aneesha Mathur