Bihar police accused of targeting students with AK-47 fire
A video shows a constable firing directly at students, not in the air, raising concerns over police conduct.
Did the constable in Siwan really fire an AK-47 in the air for self-defense, or is the Bihar government protecting its officers? A senior journalist from Bihar, Pushyamitra, has claimed that the constable targeted students with the AK-47. Pushyamitra has also shared the video that is circulating everywhere. This video clearly shows that the constable fired not four but eight bullets. This was also reported by BBC Hindi, which the Bihar government and Bihar police have not yet refuted.
On Tuesday, the Bihar government submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the reason for the AK-47 firing incident in Siwan was that the constable got trapped in a crowd of protesters. He fired four rounds in the air with the AK-47 for self-defense. However, he has been suspended as a disciplinary action. But is the affidavit submitted in court really true?
Pushyamitra wrote on a social media post,
The bullets fired by the constable were not at all aerial firing. These were fired directly targeting the students. It is clearly visible in the video, and see how much of a self-defense case it is. Then why is the government lying in the Supreme Court?
It should be noted that there has been a gross violation of the police manual in this entire matter, and the method of dealing with the protesting crowd is also wrong. However, the government has accepted this and the DGP has issued new guidelines. Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha has also been put on the line. But why is the government lying in the Supreme Court?
A fact presented in the Supreme Court was that no one was injured by the AK-47 bullet. But the family of the injured Bullet Kumar Gound says that Bullet was hit by an AK-47 bullet. The bullet pierced through his thigh, and his thigh bone was fractured. It should be noted that on this issue, under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD is taking out a Raj Bhavan march, demanding an investigation. Let's see what decision the government takes next.
The Bihar police informed the Supreme Court that a constable posted in the District Intelligence Unit (DIU) fired four rounds in the air with his AK-47 after getting trapped in a crowd of protesters in Siwan on July 25. Protesters took to the streets following a bandh called by various parties. This incident occurred amid violence during the 'Jantar-Mantar' movement in the state. However, according to the police, no one was injured in this firing.
In a counter affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, ADGP (Law and Order) K. Suhita Anupam stated,
On July 25, 2026, protesters from AISA and RYA (student and youth wings of CPI-ML) gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Siwan and started marching towards JP Chowk. Around 12:30 PM, the protesters began pelting stones at the police force. Miscreants from Marwa Road and Gopalganj Road also joined in the stone-pelting.
According to the affidavit, 20 policemen, including the Superintendent of Police of Siwan, were injured in the stone-pelting. This included two Sub-Divisional Police Officers, two Inspectors, two Sub-Inspectors, and 13 constables. During the violence, two police vehicles and a large number of traffic trolleys were also damaged. Water cannons and tear gas shells were used to control the law and order situation. Six FIRs were registered against 82 people regarding these incidents, and 17 people were arrested.
The affidavit filed on August 11 further stated that the police force deployed at the scene was not sufficient, so officers and personnel posted in different branches and police lines were called in as additional force. A constable working in the District Intelligence Unit (DIU) near JP Chowk got trapped in the crowd and fired four rounds in the air with his AK-47. According to the police, no one was injured in this firing.
The affidavit also stated that about 1.5 to 2 kilometers away from JP Chowk, at Hathi Chowk, another Assistant Sub-Inspector fired two rounds with his 9mm pistol to disperse the crowd. Two empty cartridges of .315 bore and one empty cartridge of 7.65 mm were recovered from the scene.
During this time, three protesters sustained minor injuries from gunshots. According to the affidavit, they were treated at Siwan Sadar Hospital and immediately sent to Medanta Hospital in Patna for better treatment. After recovering from their injuries, all the injured were discharged from the hospital. The state police said that the injuries sustained by the protesters were not from the AK-47, and the injured protesters were not present at the location where the constable fired the AK-47. According to the police, a ballistic investigation is being conducted to determine from which weapon, at what distance, and at what angle the bullet was fired.
The affidavit stated that,
The constable who fired the AK-47 has been suspended for "improper conduct" and departmental action has been initiated against him. The state government also clarified that "the AK-47 is a platoon-level weapon and should be used in special operations, not in normal law and order situations." The Director General of Police issued detailed instructions regarding the use of the AK-47 on August 1. The affidavit also stated that such orders have been issued in the past as well.