Patna: At least three students were injured in Siwan on Saturday after police opened 10 rounds of fire at agitating protesters during a statewide bandh in Bihar over the NEET paper leak and the earlier police crackdown on demonstrating members of the All India Students Association (AISA) and Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in Patna and New Delhi. The Bihar bandh call, given by Left-wing organisations, evoked mixed response in different parts of the state.Police said one critically injured student was referred to Patna for better treatment. In Siwan, police first used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. When protesters allegedly hurled stones, police opened fire, injuring at least three students. Siwan SP Puran Jha also suffered a hand injury after being hit by a stone thrown by a protester.
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Incidents of stone-pelting and clashes between police and protesters were also reported from Patna, Saran, Bhagalpur, Aurangabad, Sitamarhi, Bhojpur, Bettiah, Purnia and Lakhisarai.In Patna, Janshakthi Janata Dal (JJD) chief and former minister Tej Pratap Yadav was detained after he joined protesters during the bandh. RJD legislator Gautam Krishna, who was leading a protest in the state capital, was also detained by Patna Police. Krishna was raising slogans against the NDA govt at the Centre when police took him into custody.At Dak Bungalow crossing in Patna, protesters pelted stones and bricks at police personnel, after which several students were detained. Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma said protesters threw stones at police and tried to break barricades. He said police were on high alert and would identify troublemakers and take appropriate action.In Chhapra town, Sadar BDO Drishti Pathak suffered a head injury during stone-pelting by protesters. In another incident in Chhapra, students turned violent, climbed onto a govt building, tore down posters and ran away with barricades. A police van was also set on fire.Sitamarhi witnessed heavy stone-pelting, damage to govt property and police lathi-charge. Five vehicles, including two four-wheelers, were also set ablaze. Twelve policemen, including SP Amit Ranjan, were injured while trying to control the protesters. A vehicle bearing the BJP logo was also set on fire in Sitamarhi town.In Bhagalpur, trouble broke out after stone-pelting, prompting police to carry out a baton charge. Students threw bricks at a police vehicle as police tried to restore order. In Madhepura, students raised slogans on the streets and were later taken into custody. In Ara, protesters blocked roads before moving to railway tracks to press their demands.
