Bihar Tells Supreme Court Cop Fired Four Rounds During Siwan Protest, No One Hurt

The Bihar government has told the Supreme Court that a police constable trapped in a protesting crowd in Siwan fired four rounds from an AK-47 rifle into the air during student protests last month. In an affidavit filed before the court, the state denied allegations of disproportionate use of force and maintained that police had taken steps to control the situation after the protests turned violent at several locations. The government, however, acknowledged that the AK-47 should not have been used in a law-and-order situation.

The state described the AK-47 as a “platoon-level weapon” intended for special operations rather than crowd control. It informed the Supreme Court that the constable involved in the Siwan incident has been suspended and that a departmental inquiry is underway. The Director General of Police has also issued directions concerning the use of AK-47 rifles by police personnel. The government maintained that none of the protesters was injured by the four rounds fired from the rifle.

The affidavit also addressed injuries suffered by three protesters who sustained minor gunshot wounds during the protests. The state said none of those injured protesters was present at the location where the constable fired the AK-47. A ballistic examination is currently underway to determine details including the weapon involved, the distance from which the shots were fired and the angle of firing. The examination is expected to help establish the circumstances surrounding the injuries.

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The Bihar government also referred to another firing incident at Haathi Chowk, where an Assistant Sub-Inspector allegedly fired two rounds from a 9mm pistol to disperse a crowd. The affidavit was filed in response to Public Interest Litigations concerning alleged police brutality during student protests. According to the state, 69 FIRs were registered in connection with protests held between July 22 and 25, while around 500 protesters were arrested.

The government told the court that 222 student protesters without criminal histories were released on bail in accordance with Supreme Court directions, while 75 juveniles were released through the Juvenile Justice Board. It added that children below 18 years of age with no criminal record were released on simple bonds and that no stringent action was currently being taken against students without criminal backgrounds. The state also acknowledged the use of tear gas and water cannons during the protests, with some protesters sustaining injuries.

According to the affidavit, violence was reported at several locations, including Gandhi Maidan, Jehanabad, Patna, Chhapra, Bhagalpur, Sitamarhi, Aurangabad, Katihar, Kishanganj and Siwan. The state reported injuries to 157 police personnel and seven government employees, including two Block Development Officers, three police inspectors, two sub-inspectors and 11 constables. One BDO reportedly lost an eye, while another suffered serious head injuries. The government maintained that police faced a deteriorating law-and-order situation but acknowledged that the use of an AK-47 for crowd control was inappropriate.

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