Bihar constable suspended after AK-47 firing at protest

A police constable in Bihar has been suspended after a viral video allegedly showed him firing an AK-47 rifle during a student protest in Siwan district on July 25. The incident occurred during a statewide shutdown organized amid widespread demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and demands for the resignation of then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The Bihar Police Headquarters ordered the constable's suspension and initiated a departmental inquiry to determine whether the use of the firearm complied with established protocols. Officials stated that any violation of procedures would be dealt with seriously, with further disciplinary or legal action contingent on the inquiry's findings. Three protesters were injured by gunfire during the unrest in Siwan and were admitted to a hospital in Patna. Their conditions were reported as stable, with one identified as a 15-year-old boy who was struck in the neck by a bullet while returning home.

The protests, which saw large student gatherings in several districts, escalated following altercations between demonstrators and police. Authorities reported using tear gas, water cannons, and lathi-charges to...