Youth protests: Constable fired AK-47 after being ‘trapped’ in crowd, Bihar tells Supreme Court

The Bihar government has told the Supreme Court that a constable fired four shots into the air from his AK-47 rifle after getting “trapped” in a crowd protesting against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations on July 25 in Siwan, reported Live Law on Monday.

No one was injured by the bullets fired from the AK-47, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government said in an affidavit filed on August 11 in response to petitions alleging excessive use force against protesters, reported The Indian Express.

On July 25, three protesters were injured in police firing during a demonstration in Siwan district after the demonstrators allegedly threw stones at security personnel.

The police had also opened fire during violent protests in Jehanabad on July 23.

The protests were held in solidarity with the youth agitation in Delhi to demand the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union education minister at the time. Pradhan resigned on July 25.

The state government said in its affidavit that the three protesters who were injured had sustained minor injuries after an assistant sub-inspector fired a 9-mm pistol. They were not present at the spot where the AK-47 was fired, reported Live Law.

The state government also said that the director general of police has since issued instructions about the use of the rifle, noting that it is a “platoon-level weapon used in special...

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