Patna: A student protest in Patna over demands including a single stage BPSC TRE 4 examination and removal of negative marking turned tense on Tuesday, with police using water cannons and a lathi charge to control the protesters.
Several students were detained, while Town DSP Kamakhya Narayan Singh was injured in stone pelting.
The administration had made extensive security arrangements from Gandhi Maidan to Dakbungalow Crossing to prevent protesters from reaching sensitive government areas. Barricades were installed at the JP Roundabout near Gandhi Maidan, but a large number of students reportedly broke through them and reached Dakbungalow Crossing.
As the number of protesters increased, police initially attempted to persuade them to retreat. The students, however, remained in place and continued raising slogans over their demands.
Police subsequently deployed water cannons, but the protesters continued their demonstration. Some students were seen raising slogans and waving the Tricolour despite the water being sprayed.
In an unusual scene, one protester began using shampoo while standing under the water cannon and later approached police personnel with shampoo still on his head.
The situation escalated, with scuffles reported between police and protesters. Police resorted to a lathi charge as they attempted to disperse the crowd. During the confrontation, protesters allegedly pelted stones, reportedly injuring Town DSP Kamakhya Narayan Singh.
A female student also sustained a head injury and was taken to Gardiner Road Hospital for treatment. Police detained several protesters and initially took them to the Secretariat police station before shifting them to the Airport police station.
A female police officer fainted amid the intense heat at Dakbungalow Crossing.
Senior officials, including District Magistrate Kundan Kumar, SSP Kartikeya Sharma and Zonal IG Jitendra Rana, reached the spot to monitor the situation. The protesters remained at Dakbungalow Crossing for nearly two hours, refusing to withdraw despite repeated police efforts to clear the area.
The students are protesting over several recruitment-related issues, with their key BPSC TRE-4 demands including conducting TRE-4 through a single-stage examination, abolishing negative marking, and greater transparency in the recruitment process. They also raised action points on other pending demands concerning government recruitment examinations.
Meanwhile, Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari said the government had already accepted “almost all” of the students’ demands. He added that if the students had any further concerns to communicate, all avenues for dialogue with the government remained open.
(IANS)
