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Patna: Left-wing student organisations held demonstrations across Bihar, some of which turned violent, on Saturday, July 25, in support of a statewide bandh against NEET question paper leak and police action on protesting students.

According to police, the bandh turned violent in Patna, Saran, Siwan, Aurangabad and Bhagalpur, while protests in Samastipur, Nawada and Nalanda were largely peaceful. Security has been tightened with heavy police deployment in all districts of the state.

Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, alleged that police fired at protesters in Siwan district, and slammed Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary for the incident.

He posted a video of the purported incident on X and, along with it, said, “During the protest in Siwan, police resorted to direct firing with an AK-47 on students. When a criminal… becomes chief minister, then police fire bullets at innocent students..

Officials, however, did not confirm any firing against the protesters. Also, PTI could not ascertain the veracity of the video.

The protest was held at JP Chowk in the district.

Former MLA and CPI(ML) leader Amarjeet Kushwaha, who was present during the protest, said, “The protesting students faced brutal police action; even women were not spared..

Over reports of clashes, Superintendent of Police Puran Chandra Jha said, “We have videographed the incident and will take strict action against the miscreants. There were three groups of protestors, of which only one had taken permission for the stir. They clashed near Gandhi Maidan, and police had to fire tear gas shells and use mild force.

Protesters also clashed with police in the state capital’s Dak Bungalow Chouraha and pelted stones at the personnel of the force, following which several students were detained.

“They pelted us with stones. They even tried to break the barricade. We have detained several students. Police are on high alert. We will trace the troublemakers and take appropriate action against them,” Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya K Sharma told reporters.

Amid claims that crude bombs were also hurled at the police during the protest, the police officer said that the claims were being verified. Also, leaves of all police personnel have been cancelled to maintain law and order, another officer said.

Janshakti Janta Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav visited Ram Gulam Chowk in Patna to extend support to the protesting students and was later detained by the police.

The bandh to protest against examination irregularities turned violent in Saran district’s Chhapra, where students threw stones on police personnel, set an official car ablaze, and vandalised several other vehicles.

Violence during the protest was also reported in Aurangabad district, where two police officers and a journalist were injured by protestors, police said, adding more than a dozen protesters who were allegedly involved in stone pelting have been detained.

In Bhagalpur, a protest march started peacefully from Station Chowk, but turned violent with police being brickbated by protesters who also blocked roads near the Tilkamanjhi crossing. Police had to resort to baton-charging to disperse the crowd.

Bhagalpur District Magistrate Alankrita Pandey said the situation was under control and several protesters have been detained.

“Students pelted stones and vandalised two police vehicles. No persons were injured. We have identified several people through CCTV footage, and some of them have been detained. Strict action will be taken against the miscreants,” said Bhagalpur SSP Pramod Kumar Yadav.

A similar situation was witnessed in Purnia where a peaceful protest march turned violent, with protestors breaking barricades and pelting stones at police officials. Window shields of some private vehicles were also shattered by the agitators.

In Sitamarhi district, protestors, marching towards the collectorate, pelted stones at police officers, injuring several personnel, including Superintendent of Police Amit Ranjan. Three vehicles, including one carrying a BJP flag, were set on fire, police said.

According to a senior officer, the injured were shifted to a hospital, and additional forces were rushed to the protest site to maintain law and order.

Protesters carrying banners of All India Students Association (AISA) and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) also blocked the Samastipur-Patna main road by burning tyres and raised slogans against the government.

In Madhepura district, over a dozen students, including NSUI’s state vice president Nishant Yadav, were detained as they assembled at the TP College Chowk to hold a protest.

Nawada and Jehanabad witnessed largely peaceful protests amid heavy police deployment.

“We are committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety of the people. I appeal to the people to cooperate with us and not believe in any misinformation and rumours,” Jehanabad SP Kota Kiran Kumar said.

Student leaders carried out a protest march in Nalanda district’s Bihar Sharif amid heavy police deployment. RYA’s Nalanda district president Viresh Kumar alleged that 100 paper leak incidents had occurred under the tenure of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Referring to police action against protesters in New Delhi and Bihar, RYA’s Nalanda district president Viresh Kumar said the administration was being authoritarian.

The protest was violent in Lakhisarai district too, leading to police resorting to baton-charge. Ara railway station in Bihar’s Bhojpur district witnessed a ruckus as protestors squatted before a passenger train. Police later managed to remove them from the tracks and ensured the train’s onward journey safely.