Siwan SP, 16 IPS officers transferred amid AK-47 use row
What's the story
The Superintendent of Police (SP) of Siwan, Puran Kumar Jha, has been removed from his post by the Bihar government over an incident where a police constable fired an AK-47 during student protests on July 25. The constable, Abhishek Kumar, has already been suspended for his actions. According to NDTV, Jha has been placed under vetting for a new posting. Along with Jha, 16 other IPS officers were transferred.
Transfers
New transfer details
A state home department circular said Hriday Kant has been appointed as the Superintendent of Police in Nalanda; Bharat Soni will take over as Siwan SP, and Awadesh Dikshit has been made Bhojpur SP.
The government hasn't clarified if these transfers are related to the recent controversies or are part of routine administrative changes.
Legal proceedings
Bihar government on firing incident
Earlier in the day, the Bihar government told the Supreme Court that Kumar fired four rounds from the AK-47 after getting "trapped in the crowd."
The state, however, maintains these shots were fired into the air and no protesters were injured.
Three protesters did receive minor gunshot wounds that day, but the government said the injuries were not caused by the AK47 firing.
It said the injured individuals were not present at the location where the constable had fired.
Injuries
AK-47 was 'platoon-level weapon'
The state government said the three protesters sustained minor injuries after an assistant sub-inspector fired two rounds from his 9mm pistol near Hathi Chowk in an effort to disperse the crowd.
It further clarified that the AK-47 was a "platoon-level weapon" intended for special operations and not for "law-and-order situations."
Court proceedings
Petitions in SC regarding police excesses
The Bihar government's affidavit was submitted in response to petitions alleging police excesses during protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in New Delhi.
The state has blamed property damage and attacks on officials on "anti-social elements" who joined the demonstrations.
A ballistic examination is underway to determine the weapon type, firing distance, and angle involved in these incidents.
Protest impact
Protests turned violent, injuries and damage reported
The protests had turned violent in several districts of Bihar, resulting in injuries to police personnel and damage to property.
The protests were held in solidarity with the student agitation in Delhi, demanding the resignation of then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over paper leaks.
Last month, the Supreme Court stressed that "mere agitation can't be grounds for police excesses" and called for a uniform nationwide protocol for handling such situations.