A police officer seen firing a rifle during the July 25 student protest has been suspended, while a PIL concerning the incident has reached the Supreme Court.
Bihar Cop Suspended After Protest Firing Video
A Bihar police officer has been suspended after a video appeared to show him firing an AK-47 rifle during clashes with protesters in Siwan on Saturday, July 25. The confrontation occurred during a statewide shutdown organised over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and previous police action against students.
The officer has been identified in reports as Abhishek Patel. In the footage, he is seen wearing protective equipment and moving towards protesters before at least one gunshot is heard. Although its video clearly captured only one shot. A departmental inquiry has been initiated to establish the sequence of events and determine whether police rules governing firearm use were followed.
Supreme Court Petition Cites AK-47 Use in Siwan
Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha has filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court placing material related to alleged police excesses during recent student demonstrations, including the Siwan firing.
Advocate Fauzia Shakil, appearing for Jha, informed the court that the petition contained information about the use of an AK-47 in Bihar. The Supreme Court was already considering related pleas concerning protest policing and indicated that petitions arising from incidents in Delhi and Bihar would be heard together. The filing of the petition does not mean the allegations have been judicially established.
Three Protesters Injured During Siwan Clashes
Three people who sustained bullet injuries during the Siwan violence were taken to Jayprabha Medanta Hospital in Patna. Their condition was reported to be stable. One of the injured was identified as 15-year-old Md Arif, whose family said he was returning home after closing the shop where he worked when a bullet struck his neck. Doctors later removed the bullet through surgery.
Siwan police said it was not yet clear whether every bullet injury was caused by police firing. Authorities said the clashes involved stone-pelting against security personnel, while police used crowd-control measures at protest locations across Bihar. The inquiry will need to establish who fired each round and whether the force used was necessary and proportionate.
Political Leaders Demand Accountability
Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav shared footage of the incident and demanded action against officials found responsible. Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also criticised the authorities, linking the Siwan firing with allegations concerning the use of pellet weapons against student protesters in Delhi.
The Supreme Court has stressed that peaceful protest is constitutionally protected while also observing that violence by demonstrators cannot be accepted. It suggested that a uniform nationwide protocol may be needed to balance protest rights, public order and restrictions on excessive police force.
Further action against the suspended officer will depend on the departmental investigation, ballistic and video evidence, witness statements and any directions issued by the Supreme Court as it considers the related petitions.
