Patna Erupts: Police Brutally Lathi-Charge Protesting Teacher Candidates and Land Surveyors

The streets of Patna, Bihar, bore witness to a scene of escalating tension and brutal force on Tuesday as police lathi-charged protesting teacher candidates and contractual land surveyors. The shocking crackdown unfolded near the Bihar State Co-operative Bank and the New Secretariat, leaving many injured and drawing widespread condemnation.

Hundreds of CTET and STET qualified teacher candidates, frustrated by prolonged unemployment, had gathered to demand immediate appointments.

Parallel to their demonstration, contractual land surveyors, known as AMINs, were also protesting, advocating for permanent status in their roles. Both groups, united by their plight and demands for secure livelihoods, attempted to march towards the Bihar Assembly, a symbolic gesture of their desperation to be heard by the state government.

However, their peaceful procession was met with a heavy-handed response from the police.

Eyewitnesses reported that authorities initially deployed water cannons to disperse the crowd, but when protesters persisted, the situation rapidly escalated. Police officers resorted to a lathi-charge, swinging batons indiscriminately at the demonstrators. Disturbing visuals circulated widely, showing police chasing and beating protesters, including women, who were left scrambling for safety on the streets.

Several individuals sustained injuries in the melee.

The incident quickly drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders, with figures like Tejashwi Yadav condemning the police action and accusing the government of being insensitive to the legitimate concerns of its citizens. The former Deputy Chief Minister highlighted the irony of a government that had once promised millions of jobs now resorting to violence against those seeking employment.

This latest incident in Patna underscores the persistent and growing issue of unemployment among qualified professionals in Bihar, as well as the precarious conditions faced by contractual workers.

The pleas of these teachers and land surveyors for dignity and secure futures remain a critical challenge for the state administration, now further complicated by the use of force against its own populace.