Cop seen firing AK-47 at Bihar student protest suspended; petition filed in SC

A Public Interest Litigation has now been filed before the Supreme Court by Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha in connection with an incident in which the now-suspended police personnel was seen firing at protesters in Bihar.The cop was seen firing from an AK-47 rifle.A police officer in Bihar, who was seen firing from an AK-47 at protesting students during the July 25 'Bihar Bandh' against alleged NEET exam paper irregularities, has been suspended.A Public Interest Litigation has now been filed before the Supreme Court by Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha in connection with the incident.The statewide shutdown saw large demonstrations by student organisations across several districts, with clashes reported between protesters and police at multiple locations. Police used lathicharge, tear gas and water cannons at different protest sites across the state to disperse the crowds.Meanwhile, three protesters injured in the firing in Siwan are being treated at Jayprabha Medanta Hospital in Patna, and their condition has been reported as stable. Among them is 15-year-old Md Arif, who works at a shop and, according to his family, was struck in the neck by a bullet while returning home after closing the shop during the shutdown. Doctors later removed the bullet surgically, and his condition is now stable, his family said. In the city, a large number of students gathered and marched towards Gandhi Maidan as part of the statewide shutdown. While they were raising slogans, the situation deteriorated after an altercation broke out between the protesters and the police.Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in Bihar, called for action against the officials found guilty and posted a video of the incident in which a policeman can be seen firing at the students. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also raised the issue and said the pattern was the same everywhere, referring to the use of pellet guns in Delhi against protesting students and AK-47s in Bihar.Police officials said maintaining law and order was the force's primary responsibility and that any violation of established procedures was taken seriously. They said a detailed departmental inquiry had been initiated and that further action would be decided on the basis of its findings. The inquiry is expected to determine whether the use of the firearm was in line with police protocols and whether any disciplinary or legal action is warranted.- EndsInputs from Aneesha MathurPublished By: Devika BhattacharyaPublished On: Jul 27, 2026 11:47 IST