GUWAHATI: A Bihar Police personnel has been suspended after a video allegedly showing him using an AK-47 rifle during the July 25 'Bihar Bandh' protests in Siwan district went viral on social media.
ALSO READ: 'Mere Agitation Can't Justify Lathi-Charge': Supreme Court on Police Action during Student Protests
The statewide shutdown, called by student organisations over the alleged examination paper leak issue, witnessed demonstrations across several districts, with clashes reported between protesters and police at multiple locations.
The viral video purportedly shows the policeman, wearing a blue helmet and a bulletproof vest, running towards a group of protesters while carrying an AK-47 rifle. At least one gunshot can be heard in the footage before the officer gestures to his colleagues to move forward. Another policeman is then seen picking up an object from the ground and throwing it towards the protesters.
The suspension comes amid allegations by Bihar Assembly Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav that police opened fire on students using AK-47 rifles during the protests. Sharing the video on social media, Yadav demanded strict action against those responsible for the firing.
Three protesters injured during the Siwan violence are currently undergoing treatment at Jayprabha Medanta Hospital in Patna and are reported to be in stable condition.
Among them is 15-year-old Md Arif, whose family reportedly said he was returning home after closing the shop where he worked during the bandh when he was struck in the neck by a bullet. Doctors later removed the bullet during surgery, and his condition is now reported to be stable.
Police have maintained that they used tear gas and "limited force" to disperse violent crowds during the demonstrations.
The incident comes as scrutiny over police action during student protests has intensified, with the Supreme Court on Monday observing that peaceful protests cannot be met with lathi-charge merely because an agitation is underway and calling for uniform protocols to govern police handling of demonstrations.