Congress alleges police brutality, AK-47 use against students in Bihar

The Congress party on Monday alleged that the Bihar Police had subjected student protesters to “extreme brutality”, including the use of AK-47 rifles in Siwan. The allegations came at a press conference where the party’s fact-finding teams submitted reports on police action against students across the state to the party leadership.

The teams, constituted under the direction of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, visited affected districts and met students, victims, members of the administration, and the media. Their reports were submitted to the party’s Bihar in-charge, Krishna Allavaru, who then addressed journalists.

Mr. Allavaru alleged that the police had conducted midnight raids, arrested students, and unleashed a “reign of terror” in an attempt to break their morale. He specifically claimed that in Siwan, AK-47 rifles were used against protesting youth, leaving three students injured, including one with a bullet wound to the neck and another to the shoulder.

“On whose instructions was the AK-47 used?” Mr. Allavaru asked, questioning whether the orders came from Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary or Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He noted that such weapons are meant to be used against terrorists, not civilians, and demanded an explanation.

The Congress also raised the issue of examination fees, which have been a point of contention among students in Bihar. Mr. Allavaru said that students had pointed out that if an industrial group could be given 1,000 acres of land on an annual lease of ₹1, then recruitment examination fees should also be fixed at ₹1. Students are currently required to pay between ₹500 and ₹850 for each examination, he added.

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi alleged that students continued to be hounded over old cases despite a State government notification stating that cases against them would be withdrawn. He said the fact-finding teams had assured affected students of legal assistance.

The protests in Bihar are part of a larger student agitation that has been ongoing at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, with demands related to exam fees and other educational issues. The Congress has been supporting the students and has sought to hold the state and central governments accountable for their handling of the protests.

At the press conference, party leaders stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the alleged police actions and urged the authorities to ensure that the rights of students are protected. They also called for the immediate withdrawal of cases against the protesters.

The Bihar Police and the state government have not yet issued a formal response to the Congress’s allegations. The BJP-led government at the Centre has also not commented on the specific claims made by the Congress in relation to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.