Tejashwi Yadav Visits Injured Protesters, Calls for Police Accountability

On Sunday the Bihar leader of opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, slipped into Medanta Hospital in Siwan to see the faces of students who were hurt when police opened fire during a heated NEET protest. He asked about their pain, their families and even cracked a nervous smile when one youngster managed a weak joke despite the bandages.

Yadav later took to X, reminding everyone that a peaceful protest is not a luxury but a core democratic right. "Citizens must be able to voice dissent without fearing bullets," he wrote, urging the state government to act fast against the officers who allegedly pulled the trigger.

The unrest began when students, angry over alleged leaks of the NEET‑UG question paper, blocked streets in Siwan and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Stone‑throwing was reported, prompting police to unleash tear‑gas shells and, eventually, a lathicharge. Similar scenes unfolded in Patna, where protestors toppled police vehicles and the city saw a statewide shutdown.

According to eyewitnesses, several teenagers – one just 15, another 18, a lad hoping to join the army, and even a shop‑assistant from Uttar Pradesh – were hit by gunfire. Yadav, speaking to reporters, called the response “excessive” and placed the blame squarely on the Bihar state leadership for allowing such force to be used.

“We talked to the three injured students. One is 15, another 18, one is preparing for the army, another works in a shop to support his family, and one had come from Uttar Pradesh,” he recounted. “We believe the police action was excessive. We hold the state leadership responsible for what happened and condemn it.”

Beyond the immediate incident, Yadav used the moment to launch a broader political critique. He argued that the NEET paper has been “leaked every time,” leaving students’ futures in limbo, and said the country won’t improve until the BJP government is voted out. “Until the vote‑thieves who steal temple funds and the future of our students are removed, we will not see real change,” he declared.

The episode adds another layer to a volatile week in Bihar, where opposition parties and social groups have called for massive shutdowns, and the police have stepped up their presence across the state. As the injured students recover, the demand for a transparent enquiry into the firing continues to grow, with Yadav promising to keep the pressure on.