India Suspends Policeman for Firing AK-47 at Student Protesters

Indian authorities have suspended a police constable after he was filmed firing an AK-47 assault rifle into the air while attempting to disperse student protesters in the eastern state of Bihar, an incident that has intensified criticism of the government’s handling of nationwide youth demonstrations. The suspension comes amid mounting public anger over alleged excessive use of force against students protesting the leakage of a national medical entrance examination paper.

The incident occurred on Saturday in Siwan district, where thousands of students had gathered as part of broader protests demanding accountability over the leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination paper. Videos widely shared on social media, and later confirmed by police, showed the officer in riot gear running toward protesters before firing at least three rounds into the air from an AK-47 rifle. Authorities said no one was injured in the incident.

Senior Bihar police official Nilesh Kumar described the officer’s actions as unjustified, saying the assault rifle had been issued because the constable belonged to an intelligence unit that normally deals with dangerous criminals rather than crowd control. Kumar stressed there was “no need” to use the weapon against student demonstrators and confirmed that the officer had been suspended pending disciplinary proceedings and a full investigation.

The latest controversy comes against the backdrop of a wave of student protests that have swept across India following the leak of question papers for the NEET examination, taken by more than two million candidates. The scandal triggered demands for a re-test and eventually led to the resignation of India’s federal education minister after weeks of demonstrations and political pressure. Protesters have also voiced concerns about youth unemployment and growing anxiety over the impact of artificial intelligence on future job opportunities.

Opposition parties have condemned what they describe as an increasingly heavy-handed police response. In Parliament, opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of carrying out one of the gravest assaults on democratic freedoms, citing reports of students being beaten with batons, tear-gassed and subjected to excessive force during demonstrations in several cities. Parliamentary proceedings were disrupted as lawmakers clashed over the government’s handling of the unrest.

The incident has also sparked concern within India’s legal community. Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, speaking at a public event, warned that the space for peaceful dissent and free expression in India appeared to be shrinking. Although he did not refer directly to the Siwan incident, his remarks came amid growing debate over the treatment of student protesters and the balance between maintaining public order and protecting constitutional rights.

Authorities in Bihar have launched an internal investigation to determine whether additional disciplinary or criminal action should be taken against the suspended officer. Meanwhile, student organisations have vowed to continue their demonstrations, insisting that accountability for the examination scandal and alleged police brutality remains their central demand.

The suspension of the officer has done little to calm public anger, with civil society groups and opposition politicians calling for broader reforms in the policing of public demonstrations. As protests continue in several parts of the country, the episode is likely to remain a focal point in India’s wider debate over education, governance and the right to peaceful protest.