Bihar tells SC AK-47 fired but no one injured in student protests

The Bihar government told the Supreme Court on August 18 that a police constable fired four rounds from an AK-47 rifle into the air during student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak, but no one was injured by those bullets. In its counter affidavit to petitions alleging police brutality, the state conceded that three protesters suffered minor firearm injuries from a separate incident where an assistant sub-inspector fired two rounds from a 9mm pistol at Hathi Chowk.

According to the affidavit, as reported by LiveLaw and The Hindu, the AK-47 is a platoon-level weapon meant for special operations, not law-and-order situations. The state said the constable who used the rifle was trapped in a crowd in Siwan, and has been suspended. The Director General of Police issued instructions on August 1 banning the use of automatic weapons in crowd control.

The government claimed 157 police personnel and 7 public servants were injured, and denied using disproportionate force. It said 69 FIRs were registered between July 22 and 25, 500 arrests were made, and 222 student protesters without criminal antecedents have been released on bail. Ballistic examination is ongoing to determine the type of weapon, distance and angle of fire used in the incidents.