Bihar Transfers 17 IPS Officers in Shuffle Amid AK-47 Firing Row During Student Protest

The Bihar government on Tuesday transferred 17 senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, including the superintendents of police of Siwan and Bhojpur districts, where recent police action during student protests had drawn criticism and sparked a controversy.

According to a state home department circular, Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha has been transferred and placed on the waiting list for a new posting. Jha was in charge when a police constable was seen firing an AK-47 rifle during a student protest in the district on July 25. The government has appointed Hriday Kant as the new SP of Nalanda, while Bharat Soni will take charge as Siwan SP. Awadesh Dikshit has been appointed as SP of Bhojpur.

The government has not indicated whether the transfers are linked to the controversies or are part of a routine administrative reshuffle. However, the timing has drawn attention, as the police actions in Siwan and Bhojpur have been under scrutiny following the violent incidents during student protests.

The July 25 protest in Siwan escalated when police resorted to force, leading to allegations of excessive use of power. A video showing Police Constable Abhishek Kumar firing an AK-47 rifle went viral, triggering widespread criticism and demands for accountability. The Bihar government later told the Supreme Court that Kumar fired four rounds from the weapon after being "trapped and surrounded by protesters" near JP Chowk in Siwan.

The government said the firing was directed into the air and did not injure anyone at the spot. Kumar was subsequently suspended, and departmental proceedings were initiated against him. Earlier reports indicated that he was part of a team associated with the Siwan SP, which linked the incident to the officer now transferred.

In its affidavit to the Supreme Court, the state government said three protesters suffered firearm injuries during police action elsewhere in Siwan but maintained that they were not injured by Kumar's AK-47 firing. It also said another officer fired two rounds from a 9mm pistol near Hathi Chowk to disperse protesters. The government described the AK-47 as a "platoon-level weapon" meant for special operations rather than routine law-and-order duties, a statement that has added to the debate over the appropriateness of deploying such a weapon during a student protest.

The student protests in Siwan were part of a broader movement in Bihar over various demands, including reservation and employment. The use of force by police has been a matter of concern, with the Supreme Court monitoring the situation. The transfer of senior officers, including the SPs of the two districts, is seen by many as an administrative step to address the controversy, though the government has not officially confirmed this interpretation.

Meanwhile, the suspended constable remains under departmental inquiry, and the state government has yet to announce the results of the internal probe. The reshuffle also includes transfers of several other IPS officers to new positions, which the government says is a routine administrative exercise.