Bihar Bans Automatic, Assault Weapons in Law and Order After Siwan AK-47 Incident
In a significant directive, the Bihar Police have prohibited the use of automatic and assault weapons during law and order duties, restricting their use to scenarios involving organised crime and militancy. The order comes weeks after a policeman was caught on camera firing an AK-47 at protesting students in Siwan town, sparking widespread outrage.
Announcing the decision on Thursday (August 13, 2026), Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Headquarters, Patna, Sunil Kumar said, “The Director General of Police has instructed all Superintendents of Police that automatic and assault weapons will not be used to maintain law and order; their use will be limited to cases of organised crimes, militancy, or other similar matters.”
The directive follows an incident on July 25, when a policeman was filmed firing from an AK-47 near J.P. Chowk in Siwan during a police operation involving protesting students. At least three protesters sustained gunshot injuries and were referred to a private hospital in Patna for treatment. The Siwan Police, however, denied that anyone was injured in the firing.
Following the incident, the policeman, Abhishek Kumar, was suspended. ADG (Law and Order) K.S. Anupam clarified on Thursday that Kumar had acted without authorisation. “There was no order as such... he had fired on his own accord. He was not even part of the police team handling the crowd,” Anupam said. Sunil Kumar added that action had already been taken against the personnel who used such weapons without permission.
The incident triggered strong reactions across political circles. Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav had on August 12 questioned the use of AK-47 on protesting students and demanded action against the Siwan Superintendent of Police. He announced a State-wide protest on August 19. On Thursday, he expressed gratitude to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for raising the matter in Parliament.
Yadav also criticised the Bihar Chief Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their silence on the issue. He questioned why only one policeman had been suspended when supervisory officers appeared to have failed in their duties. Opposition leaders have demanded an apology from the Prime Minister and action against those who attacked students.
The decision by the DGP to restrict the use of automatic weapons in crowd control reflects an attempt to address concerns about disproportionate force. However, the clarification that the Siwan policeman acted alone may raise further questions about command and control within the police force. Civil rights activists have often pointed out that deployment of heavy weaponry in civilian areas can lead to avoidable fatalities. The new directive could be seen as a step towards aligning police protocols with best practices in crowd management, though its implementation remains to be watched.
The Bihar Police have not yet issued a detailed written order, but the instructions, as communicated to senior officers, are expected to be formalised soon. Meanwhile, political parties have continued to demand a thorough inquiry into the Siwan incident and accountability for those responsible, whether direct or supervisory. The suspension of the policeman involved is one measure, but questions remain regarding the circumstances that allowed him access to an AK-47 during a law and order operation.
As the state prepares for the upcoming protest scheduled for August 19, the focus will be on ensuring that crowd control measures respect the right to protest while maintaining public safety.
