New Delhi:
Beneath fireplace over the usage of an AK-47 rifle by a police official over the last month’s college students’ protest in Bihar, the state authorities has clarified its place within the Supreme Court docket.
In its affidavit within the Supreme Court docket, the Bihar authorities has denied allegations of “disproportionate use of drive” by the police. The federal government mentioned that when the law-and-order state of affairs deteriorated, the police took mandatory steps to regulate the gang.
On the incident of firing from an AK-47 by a police officer in Siwan, the video of which had gone viral, the state authorities has acknowledged {that a} constable who obtained trapped within the protesting crowd fired 4 rounds within the air.
In accordance with the federal government, no protester was injured by the bullets fired from the AK-47. The federal government has, nevertheless, conceded that the weapon shouldn’t have been utilized in a law-and-order state of affairs.
Calling the AK-47 a “platoon-level weapon”, the federal government mentioned it’s meant for particular operations, not for crowd management.
It additionally knowledgeable the courtroom that the constable has been suspended and a departmental probe is underway. It additional added that the state DGP has additionally issued instructions relating to the usage of AK-47s.
The federal government has knowledgeable the courtroom that though three protesters acquired “minor gunshot wounds”, none was damage by the AK-47 bullets. It added that not one of the injured protesters was current on the spot the place the constable opened AK-47 fireplace.
A ballistic examination is underway to determine particulars resembling the kind of weapon, distance of firing and angle of firing to ascertain the details associated to the gunshot wounds suffered by the three protesters.
The affidavit was filed in response to PILs over alleged police brutality throughout scholar protests within the state.
On the opposite incident of firing, the federal government has acknowledged that an Assistant Sub-Inspector fired two rounds from his 9mm pistol to disperse the gang at Haathi Chowk.
The state authorities has additional acknowledged within the courtroom {that a} whole of 69 FIRs had been registered in relation to protests between July 22 and 25, and 500 protesters had been arrested.
It added that as per Supreme Court docket instructions, 222 scholar protesters with no prison historical past had been launched on bail, whereas 75 juveniles had been launched by way of the Juvenile Justice Board.
The federal government added that every one youngsters beneath 18 years of age with no prison report have been launched on a easy bond. Police declare that no stringent motion is presently being taken towards protesting college students with no prison background.
In its reply, the federal government mentioned the state of affairs turned violent at a number of locations through the protests, together with Gandhi Maidan, Jehanabad, Patna, Chhapra, Bhagalpur, Sitamarhi, Aurangabad, Katihar, Kishanganj and Siwan. In Chhapra, it has been alleged that some anti-social parts joined the protesters on July 25 and indulged in vandalism and stone pelting.
In accordance with the federal government, two BDOs, three police inspectors, two sub-inspectors and 11 constables had been injured throughout this protest. Itemizing out the accidents to the officers, the federal government has acknowledged that one BDO misplaced a watch, whereas the opposite suffered severe head accidents after being hit by a heavy object and his situation was acknowledged to be severe.
A complete of 157 police personnel and seven authorities staff had been injured, in response to the Bihar authorities. The federal government has additionally admitted to the usage of tear fuel and water cannons by police and acknowledged that protesters had been injured because of this.
