Bihar policeman who fired at protesters with AK-47 suspended

The policeman, who was caught on camera firing at protesters in Siwan district of Bihar on Saturday (July 25, 2026), has been put under suspension and a departmental inquiry has been ordered against him. At least three protesters sustained gunshots and were admitted to a private hospital in Patna, where their condition is said to be stable. One was discharged from the hospital on Monday (July 27, 2026).

A video of the policemen firing with the advanced AK-47 gun has gone viral on social media since Sunday (July 26, 2026). “The video came late on social media as Internet connection was suspended for 24 hours since Saturday in the district in view of the protest”, a local journalist in Siwan told The Hindu.

The policeman on camera has been identified as Abhishek Kumar and is said to be associated with District Intelligence Unit (DIU). “The policeman has been suspended and a departmental inquiry ordered against him”, said Siwan Superintendent of Police Puran Kumar Jha. When asked who had ordered the policeman to fire on protesters with AK-47, Mr. Jha told media persons, “It is all a matter of a departmental probe”.

“The policeman with AK-47 in Siwan’s J.P. Chowk area had fired four rounds in the air to protect government properties and personal lives but no one was injured in the firing. All three protesters with gunshots were injured at different places, quite far away from J.P. Chowk”, said a police release on Monday (July 27, 2026). The police have lodged a First Information Report at the Siwan Town police station against the three injured protesters — a 17-year-old (name withheld), Aakash Kumar (22), who were injured at Hafiz Chowk of the town and the third one, Bullet Kumar Gond (20), was injured near town traffic police station, which is about two km away from J.P. Chowk”, added the police release. “After being given primary treatment at Siwan Sadar (town) hospital, they were shifted to Patna in a private hospital from where the 17-year-old (name withheld) has been released”, the police said.

“In the protest on July 25, a total of 694 persons were taken into custody, of which 339 were minors, who were released after verification. A total of 91 policemen were injured in the incident, 14 police vehicles were vandalised and 13 common people too were injured. Two Block Development Officers were grivieoulsy injured in the incident and are battling for their lives”, said the police release.

A large number of protesters had gathered in Siwan responding to a call for Bihar bandh by the All India Students Association (AISA) on Saturday (July 25, 2026). In the viral video it is seen that when the protesters started pelting stones on a group of stationed policemen, one of them armed with AK-47 rushed towards them and also fired few shots on them. The bandh call was given by the AISA across the State. In Patna, the State capital too, incidents of violence were reported, in which some police vehicles were vandalised and some protesters were taken into custody. The shutdown had witnessed largescale demonstrations across the State.

Same pattern: Rahul

In a post on X, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said: “the pattern [of police action] is same everywhere — pointing to the use of pellet guns in Delhi against protesting students and AK-47s in Bihar. The entire system is murderous against students. News is coming in that AK-47 bullets have been fired at protesting students in Bihar, and hundreds of students have been arrested with FIRs being filed against them. Mr. Modi where did your promise that no FIRs would be filed against students and they would be released?…Mr Modi, apologise to the country’s students. And take action against those who attacked and crushed the students —not against the students themselves”.

While posting a video of the incident on social media, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, whose elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav too was arrested and sent to jail on July 26, called for “action against guilty officials”. He warned that if the arrested students and his brother were not released in 24 hours, a massive protest would be launched in Bihar.