Patna: A protest march against the alleged NEET paper leak turned violent here on Wednesday as police fired tear gas shells, used water cannons and carried out a lathicharge to stop thousands of students marching towards Lok Bhavan. The clashes escalated into large-scale stone-pelting, leaving several police personnel, including senior officers, injured. Protesters also allegedly vandalised police vehicles, private and public property, and attacked the convoy of BJP leaders during the march.The march, organised by the All India Students’ Association (AISA), an affiliate of CPI(ML) Liberation, began near Gate No. 10 of Gandhi Maidan around 10.30am. Students were demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak, action against repeated examination leaks, reforms in Bihar’s education system and an end to the privatisation of education.The first confrontation took place at JP Golambar, where police put up barricades to stop the march towards Lok Bhavan. Despite repeated appeals to disperse, students pushed through the barricades. Police responded with tear gas shells, water cannons and later lathicharge. After nearly 20 minutes, protesters broke through the barricades and marched towards Dak Bungalow Crossing.At Dak Bungalow, police again blocked the procession with barricades and deployed heavy forces, including CISF and CRPF personnel. Students climbed onto the barricades and continued raising slogans against the govt for nearly an hour. As police attempted to remove them, protesters broke through the barricades and headed towards Lok Bhavan via Mauryalok and Kotwali.The situation turned violent after police action intensified. According to police, protesters began pelting stones at officers and security personnel after tear gas shells were fired. Several police vehicles were vandalised and multiple officers suffered head injuries. Patna (Central Range) IG Jitendra Rana, DSP Kamakhya Narayan Prasad and several SHOs were among those injured. Police arrested several protesters.As protesters moved towards the chief minister’s residence, police again resorted to lathicharge and chased demonstrators. Several students were beaten, while some lay down on the road in protest and were dragged away before being taken into custody in police vehicles and buses.IG Rana told TOI that more than 80 people had been arrested and FIRs were being registered against protesters for rioting, unlawful assembly, assaulting public servants and damaging public property. “The FIRs will be registered at Gandhi Maidan, Kotwali, Secretariat and other police stations. The protesters have damaged several police as well as private vehicles and shops along their protest march. Legal action will be taken against all accused as per law,” he said.ASP (Law and Order-I) Krishna Murari Prasad said 41 people were taken into custody and multiple FIRs registered. Several police officers were injured during the protest, some seriously, he added.The violence also affected passing vehicles. Protesters allegedly attacked the convoy of BJP minister Ram Kripal Yadav and Bhagalpur BJP MLA Rohit Pandey, pelting stones at their vehicles and allegedly attempting to overturn them. Pandey sustained injuries and lodged a complaint at Kotwali police station, alleging that the attack was politically motivated and carried out with the intent to kill. Lauria BJP MLA Vinay Bihari also filed a complaint alleging an attempt on his life.The escort vehicle of the Patna IG was also attacked, with its windshield and windows shattered. BJP leader Ajay Singh claimed his vehicle was vandalised near Dak Bungalow cwhile returning from Patna Junction.Patna DM Kundan Kumar, SSP Kartikeya K Sharma and other senior officers repeatedly appealed to protesters to disperse peacefully. The sub-divisional magistrate also made announcements asking students to move away from barricades, but they remained adamant about reaching Lok Bhavan.Student protester Manisha said the agitation focused on the alleged NEET paper leak, the alleged AEDO paper leak in Bihar and the pending TRE-4 notification. “This govt has become dictatorial. It does not listen to students. We demand the resignation of the education minister,” she said.Saba Afrin, vice-president of AISA Bihar, alleged that the march began peacefully but faced “brutal police repression”, claiming several students suffered injuries, including broken limbs and head injuries.By evening, the protest ended and several students were taken to police stations in buses.
