Bihar Police Uses Force to Disperse Bharat Bandh Protesters

Police in Bihar employed lathi-charge and water cannons to disperse protesters during the Bharat Bandh over community-based reservations. Demonstrations disrupted train services and traffic in various districts. The situation led to arrests and minor clashes, but was eventually controlled. No serious injuries were reported.

Police in Bihar resorted to lathi-charge and water cannons on Wednesday to disperse demonstrators supporting the Bharat Bandh, which called for community-based reservations.

Protesters disrupted train operations at Darbhanga and Buxar railway stations and blocked traffic across multiple districts, including Patna, Hajipur, and Purnea.

In Patna, police mistakenly baton-charged the Sadar-Patna SDO while dispersing crowds at Dak Bungalow Chowk. Patna District Administration announced that no action would be taken against the involved policeman.

Three FIRs were registered, leading to the arrest of 46 protesters, though 35 were later released. Clashes in Jehanabad on National Highway-83 resulted in five more detentions.

Despite roadblocks and tyre burnings in other districts, security forces quickly reestablished control, dispersing the crowds.

Train services were temporarily halted at various locations but were promptly normalized with the intervention of the Railway Protection Force and district police.

RJD and other INDIA bloc parties supported the bandh, while MP Rajesh Ranjan, aka Pappu Yadav, led significant protests in Patna, criticizing the government's stance on SC/ST reservations.

The Bharat Bandh was a response to the Supreme Court's ruling allowing states to sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for internal quotas.

(With inputs from agencies.)