The Bihar government has told the Supreme Court that a police constable fired four rounds from an AK-47 into the air after he was allegedly trapped in a crowd during protests over the NEET-UG paper leak, and that no one was injured by those bullets, an affidavit filed by the state said.
State denies disproportionate use of force
In the affidavit, the state maintained that police handled the protests with "utmost restraint" and denied allegations of excessive force. The document acknowledged the use of the platoon-level weapon — an AK-47 — at JP Chowk in Siwan but described it as having been discharged only after the constable found himself surrounded by demonstrators. The government said departmental proceedings have been initiated and the constable has been suspended.
"No one was injured from the bullets of the AK-47," the Bihar government said in the affidavit filed before the Supreme Court.
The affidavit also said a ballistic examination is underway to establish the weapon used as well as the distance and angle of firing. The state drew a distinction between the incident at JP Chowk and another episode at nearby Hathi Chowk, where an assistant sub‑inspector fired two rounds from a 9 mm pistol, leaving three protesters with minor firearm injuries, the affidavit said.
Two separate firing incidents cited
According to the state affidavit, the sequence of events at the two locations differs:
- JP Chowk, Siwan — constable fired four AK-47 rounds into the air; state says no injuries from these bullets.
- Hathi Chowk — assistant sub‑inspector fired two rounds from a 9 mm pistol; three protesters sustained minor firearm injuries and were not present at the JP Chowk site.
| Location | Weapon | Rounds fired | Injuries (state position) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP Chowk, Siwan | AK-47 | 4 (into air) | No one injured by AK-47 bullets, per affidavit |
| Hathi Chowk | 9 mm pistol | 2 | 3 protesters with minor firearm injuries |
The affidavit, reported by legal news portal LiveLaw, acknowledged that an AK-47 is a platoon‑level weapon intended for special operations and is not ordinarily used for law-and-order duties. Nevertheless, the state argued the circumstances — protesters turning violent across several areas — led to the situation and asserted that police personnel exercised restraint.
Protests, damage and injuries reported
The state told the top court that the NEET-UG protests became violent in multiple districts, with both protesters and police personnel sustaining injuries and public property being damaged. The affidavit alleged that some police officials were deliberately attacked by what it described as "anti‑social elements," and singled out Chapra as a location where senior administrative and police officers were harmed while trying to control the situation.
The state has started a ballistic probe to confirm the precise weapon involved in the JP Chowk firing and to determine firing angle and distance, the affidavit said. Disciplinary action against the constable has been initiated pending the outcome of inquiries.
Judicial scrutiny and public interest
The matter is now before the Supreme Court, where the affidavit forms part of the state’s response to petitions and concerns about excessive use of force during demonstrations over the NEET-UG paper leak. Use of an AK‑47 in a civilian protest is likely to figure prominently in the court’s assessment, as well as in wider public debate about appropriate policing methods during mass unrest.
For local residents and families of those protesting, the state’s clarification that three injured protesters at Hathi Chowk were not hit by AK-47 fire seeks to separate incidents and avoid conflation. The ongoing ballistic and departmental probes will determine whether charges beyond departmental suspension will be recommended for the constable and the assistant sub‑inspector.
As proceedings continue before the Supreme Court, the state’s affidavit and the forensic findings from the ballistic examination will be key to establishing what weapons were used, by whom, and whether the force applied complied with law-and-order norms for policing demonstrations.
Context: The NEET-UG paper‑leak controversy has prompted large-scale student protests in several states. Law-and-order responses to such demonstrations, especially involving potentially lethal weapons, draw scrutiny from courts, civil-society groups and political actors. The state’s submissions to the Supreme Court aim to present its account while investigations into specific incidents continue.
