Indian authorities suspend police constable over assault rifle deployment at student rally

Indian law enforcement authorities have suspended a police constable in the eastern state of Bihar after social media footage revealed him discharging an AK-47 assault rifle into the air to disperse a student demonstration in the city of Siwan.

Senior Bihar police official Nilesh Kumar confirmed that the officer, who was carrying the weapon as part of a specialised intelligence unit, acted without justification or authorisation when firing live rounds above the crowd, adding that formal disciplinary proceedings have been initiated despite no injuries being reported.

The incident marks the latest escalation in weeks of nationwide youth demonstrations sparked by question paper leaks in the NEET national medical entrance examination. Fueled further by broader anxieties surrounding high youth unemployment and technological job displacement, the persistent protests recently forced the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The police crackdown has drawn intense condemnation from opposition lawmakers and legal authorities alike. In parliament, Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge denounced the deployment of assault rifles against unarmed students as a grave assault on democratic norms and demanded clear governmental accountability.

The harsh crowd-control measures also prompted rare public criticism from Supreme Court Judge Ujjal Bhuyan, who warned against the steady erosion of fundamental freedoms and the public space required for peaceful demonstration.