The Bihar government has told the Supreme Court that a constable fired four shots into the air from his AK-47 rifle after getting “trapped” in a crowd protesting against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations on July 25 in Siwan, reported Live Law on Monday.

No one was injured by the bullets fired from the AK-47, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government said in an affidavit filed on August 11 in response to petitions alleging excessive use force against protesters, reported The Indian Express.

On July 25, three protesters were injured in police firing during a demonstration in Siwan district after the demonstrators allegedly threw stones at security personnel.

The police had also opened fire during violent protests in Jehanabad on July 23.

The protests were held in solidarity with the youth agitation in Delhi to demand the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union education minister at the time. Pradhan resigned on July 25.

The state government said in its affidavit that the three protesters who were injured had sustained minor injuries after an assistant sub-inspector fired a 9-mm pistol. They were not present at the spot where the AK-47 was fired, reported Live Law.

The state government also said that the director general of police has since issued instructions about the use of the rifle, noting that it is a “platoon-level weapon used in special operations” and not for “law-and-order situations”.

The constable who fired the AK-47 has also been suspended, the government added.

Further, it claimed that the protests against alleged exam irregularities in Bihar had turned violent in Jehanabad, Patna, Chapra, Bhagalpur, Sitamarhi, Aurangabad, Katihar, Kishanganj and Siwan.

In Siwan, at around noon on July 25, an unruly mob vandalised public property and threw stones at the police, The Indian Express quoted the affidavit as saying.

This resulted in 20 police personnel, including the superintendent of police, getting injured, claimed the state government. Others who were injured are two sub-divisional police officers, two inspectors, two sub-inspectors and 13 constables. Two police vehicles and several traffic trollies were also damaged, it added.

Between July 22 and July 25, the police registered 69 first information reports and arrested 500 persons, according to the affidavit.

As per directions from the Supreme Court, 222 student protesters with no criminal record were released on bail. Another 75 persons below the age of 18 were released by the Juvenile Justice Board, reported Live Law.

The government further stated that the Bihar Police was not taking any coercive action against protesters with no criminal record.

Edited by Sara Varghese.

We welcome your comments at letters@scroll.in.