Bihar Police Officer Suspended After Video Shows AK‑47 Firing on Students in Siwan

On July 25, a crowd of students marching in Siwan as part of a statewide bandh over the alleged NEET paper leak turned chaotic. What was meant to be a peaceful demonstration quickly escalated into a tense standoff between protesters and the police.

Amid the confusion, a video surfaced showing a police officer—identified as Abhishek Patel, a member of the Special Investigation Team (SIT)—raising an AK‑47 rifle and discharging several rounds. The footage, shared widely on social media, sparked outrage across the state and beyond.

Within hours of the clip going viral, Bihar’s law‑enforcement hierarchy moved to suspend Patel. The suspension was announced by senior officials who said the action was taken “in the interest of a fair and transparent inquiry.”

According to reports, the shooting happened during the so‑called “Bihar Bandh” that was called to protest the NEET paper‑leak controversy. Students had gathered in large numbers, chanting slogans and attempting to march toward the historic Gandhi Maidan. A clash broke out when police tried to disperse the crowd, and the alleged firing with the AK‑47 added a grim new dimension to the violence.

In the aftermath, three First Information Reports (FIRs) were lodged. Roughly 100 individuals have been formally named as accused, while another 200 or so remain unidentified. Law‑enforcement agencies have already begun raids in the district, aiming to locate and apprehend those believed to be responsible for the unrest.

Three protesters sustained injuries during the melee. They are currently receiving treatment at Jayprabha Medanta Hospital in Patna. One of the wounded, a 15‑year‑old named Md Arif, was shot in the neck while returning home from a shop he was helping run. Doctors managed to remove the bullet and say his condition is now stable.

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders. Bihar’s opposition leader, Tejashwi Yadav, took to X (formerly Twitter) to demand swift action, posting the video and condemning the use of live fire on “innocent students.” He wrote, “When a man accused of seven murders becomes chief minister, democracy reduces to police shooting bullets at peaceful demonstrators. Those responsible must be held accountable.”

At the national level, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also weighed in, accusing the Centre of tolerating “murderous” tactics against students. He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier assurances that no FIRs would be filed against protesters, pointing out that, contrary to those promises, hundreds of FIRs have now been registered and many students arrested.

While the investigation continues, the episode has reignited a broader debate about the use of lethal force by police during public demonstrations. Legal experts are already discussing whether the deployment of an assault rifle—an AK‑47—in a civilian protest violates standard operating procedures and human‑rights norms.

For now, the suspended officer remains out of duty, and the state government has pledged a “thorough” probe. Meanwhile, student groups are calling for a cessation of the bandh and a transparent inquiry into the shooting, hoping to prevent further bloodshed.