Bihar tells SC constable fired AK-47 after being trapped

The Bihar government informed the Supreme Court that a police constable fired four rounds from an AK47 rifle into the air during student protests in Siwan on July 25 after becoming surrounded by a crowd, an incident that sparked significant controversy. In an affidavit filed in response to public interest litigation petitions alleging police excesses, the state acknowledged that using the weapon, described as a "platoon-level" firearm intended for special operations, was inappropriate for law and order duties. The constable has been suspended and faces departmental proceedings.

The government stated that Constable Abhishek Kumar was "trapped in the crowd" near JP Chowk in Siwan when he fired the shots, asserting that no protester was injured by the AK47 fire. However, the affidavit also noted that three protesters sustained "minor firearms injuries" from police action during the protests, but clarified that ballistic tests and location analysis indicated these injuries were not caused by the AK47 and that the injured individuals were not present where the rifle was fired.

The incident occurred amid widespread protests across Bihar from July 22 to 25, which were linked to...