Bihar admits AK-47 firing in Siwan during protests in Supreme Court

The Bihar government has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court admitting that a constable fired four rounds from an AK-47 into the air in Siwan during recent student protests. The state said the constable was trapped in a crowd and later suspended, and no one was hurt in the incident. The government also said an assistant sub-inspector fired two rounds from a 9mm pistol at Hathi Chowk, wounding three protestors lightly, and said a ballistic probe is underway.

The affidavit details 69 FIRs and about 500 arrests between July 22 and July 25, with 222 student protestors who had no criminal record granted bail and minors released on simple bonds. In Chhapra, two Block Development Officers, three police inspectors, two sub-inspectors and 11 constables were hurt, one BDO lost an eye and another has a serious head injury.

The state assured the court it will not disclose personal or digital data of protestors and has directed the additional DGP to preserve all video footage. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police filed a separate affidavit denying excessive force, stating over 30,000 protestors were handled by 5,000 personnel and 240 police and about 200 protestors were injured.