Members of left-wing student organisations held demonstrations and clashed with police in several districts of Bihar on Saturday (July 25, 2026) in support of the State-wide bandh called against NEET paper leak and police action on protesting students, officials said.

The bandh turned violent in Patna, Saran, Siwan, Aurangabad and Bhagalpur, while districts like Samastipur, Nawada and Nalanda witnessed mild protests, police said. Security has been tightened with heavy police deployment across all districts of the State.

Protesters pelted stones and bricks at police personnel at Dak Bungalow Chouraha in Patna, after which police detained several students. "Protesters pelted stones at us. They even tried to break the barricade. We have detained several students. Police are on high alert. We will trace the troublemakers and take appropriate action against them," Patna SSP Kartikeya K. Sharma told reporters.

“Police had to use mild force to disperse the crowd to prevent it from swelling,” an officer said. “All leaves of police personnel have been cancelled to maintain law and order,” a senior official said. Police held flag marches in several areas, including Patna's Paliganj locality, as a precautionary measure.

The Patna district administration has ordered private schools in Patna to remain closed on Saturday (July 25, 2026) during the bandh. Janshakti Janta Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav visited Ram Gulam Chowk in Patna to extend support to the protesting students. He was, however, later detained by the police.

In Siwan district, AISA, RYA and other left-wing organisations staged protests at J.P. Chowk. Former MLA and CPI(ML) leader Amarjeet Kushwaha, who was present during the protest, said, "Protest has been underway at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for the last 26 days. Students also came out on the streets of Patna on Wednesday (July 22, 2026).

However, both in Delhi and in Patna, they faced brutal police action. Even women and girls were not spared." He alleged that the government has adopted a dictatorial approach towards handling protests. Clashes broke out among different groups of protestors in the district.

"We have conducted photography and videography through drone cameras. Police will take strict action against miscreants, both from within and outside the district. There were three groups of protestors, of which only one had taken permission for protest. They clashed near Gandhi Maidan, and police had to fire 6-7 rounds of tear gas shells and use mild force to contain the situation," SP Puran Chandra Jha told reporters. He said an FIR will be registered against miscreants and strict action will be taken.

The protests turned violent in Chhapra in Saran district, where students pelted stones on police personnel, set a district administration vehicle on fire, vandalised several other vehicles and ran away with barricades. Police had to resort to mild force to contain the violence.

In Aurangabad district, two police officers and a journalist were injured during stone pelting by protestors, officials said. Police have detained over a dozen protesters who were allegedly involved in stone pelting.

In Bhagalpur, a peaceful protest march was initiated from Station Chowk, but as the crowd approached the busy Tilkamanjhi crossing, some students blocked the road and pelted stones at police personnel. Students also overturned a police vehicle near the protest site. Police had to baton charge to disperse the crowd, but the situation is now under control.

Bhagalpur DM Alankrita Pandey said that the situation is under control now. Police have detained several individuals. "Students pelted stones and vandalised two police vehicles. No persons were injured or other vehicles damaged. We have identified several people through CCTV footage. Several protesters have been detained. Strict action will be taken against miscreants," said Bhagalpur SSP Pramod Kumar Yadav.

Protesters carrying banners of All India Students Association (AISA) and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) blocked the Samastipur-Patna main road by burning tyres and raised slogans against the government.

In Madhepura district, over a dozen students, including NSUI's State Vice President Nishant Yadav, were detained as they assembled at the T.P. College Chowk to protest. Shops in the district remained closed, but were reopened as the impact of the bandh remained negligible there. Nawada witnessed sporadic protests and sloganeering by students near Hospital Mor, but the protest remained peaceful amid heavy police deployment. Riot control force and SWAT teams were also deployed near protest sites.

In Jehanabad, which witnessed violent students' agitation and stone pelting at the DM residence on Thursday (July 23, 2026), protests during the bandh remained largely peaceful.

Police conducted flag march and ensured heavy deployment of forces across the district. "We are committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety of the people. I appeal to the people to cooperate with us and not believe in any misinformation and rumours," Jehanabad SP Kota Kiran Kumar said.

Student leaders carried out a protest march in Bihar Sharif in Nalanda district amid heavy police deployment on the occasion of the bandh. RYA district president of Nalanda, Viresh Kumar, alleged that 100 paper leaks had occurred under the tenure of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, demanding that he should resign.

"We have called Bharat Bandh because more than 100 exam papers have leaked under Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure. Our demand is very clear. He must take responsibility and resign from his post," he said. Referring to police action in New Delhi and Bihar, Kumar said that the administration is reacting in an authoritarian manner.

Meanwhile, the students' wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Students' Federation of India (SFI), had held a night vigil 'Raat Jaago, Desh Jaago', on Friday (July 24, 2026) in support of the students' struggle at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

Published - July 25, 2026 05:04 pm IST