Bihar Police to Supreme Court: Constable trapped in NEET protest fired AK-47 in air
The Bihar Police have informed the Supreme Court that a constable, trapped in a crowd during protests against the NEET-UG paper leak, fired four rounds from his AK-47 rifle into the air. In an affidavit filed on Monday, the police said that none of the bullets from the AK-47 caused any injury.
The affidavit acknowledged that the AK-47 is a platoon-level weapon used in special operations and not meant for routine law-and-order situations. However, the police maintained that excessive force was not used and that the crowd was met with “utmost restraint.” Another officer fired a 9mm pistol to disperse the mob, the affidavit added.
The police admitted that three protesters suffered minor firearm injuries. They did not specify whether these injuries were caused by the 9mm pistol firing or by another incident, but asserted that they were not from the AK-47. The injured protesters were given “the best possible treatment,” the police said.
A ballistic examination is being carried out to determine the type of weapon, distance of fire, and angle of fire, according to the affidavit. The police also noted that the Director General of Police had issued detailed instructions on August 1 regarding the use of AK-47s, ostensibly to prevent such incidents.
The state submitted that it and its agencies maintained “utmost restraint” and did not use disproportionate force. Meanwhile, the affidavit pointed out that protesters severely damaged public property and that officials were deliberately attacked by anti-social elements who had joined the protests.
The police said electronic evidence, including CCTV footage and videography, has been preserved. They also stated that instructions have been given to keep the personal information and digital data of protesters private and not to disclose them on public platforms for the time being. The police added that coercive measures are not being taken against students without criminal antecedents, and instructions have been issued to release students under 18 who were arrested or detained.
