Bharat Bandh: Protesters Lathi-Charged In Patna, Clashes In Other Parts Of Bihar Too

In protest against a Supreme Court ruling on reservation, people clashed with police in Bihar. Protests and blockades occurred in Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad, and Madhepura, disrupting traffic.

Police lathi-charged protestors in Bihar's Patna during Bharat Bandh.

Source : ANI

Police resorted to lathi-charge in Bihar's capital Patna on Wednesday as people came out on streets to stage demonstration in support of the 'Bharat Bandh' called by some organisations over community-based reservation. The bandh has been called by 21 organisation across the country against the Supreme Court's decision on the issue of SC-ST reservation.

The demonstrators were trying to take law and order in their hands so mild force was used against them, said a police official. 

"It was not a peaceful protest, they were law and order in their hands...The common people could not travel and we tried to convince them (agitators). But they did not understand. We had to use mild force to move them back...," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Patna, Ashok Kumar Singh.   

The protestors clashed with police in other parts of the state too including Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad, and Madhepura. 

In Muzaffarpur, the agitators put up blockades in support of the Bharat Bandh briefly disrupting the vehicular movement while in Jehanabad, the protestors clashed with security personnel when they tried to block movement of traffic on National Highway-83, police said.

#WATCH | Bihar: Police lathi-charge people in Patna as they stage protest in support of a day-long Bharat Bandh against the Supreme Court's recent judgment on reservations. pic.twitter.com/5jEMQiagJJ

— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2024

“Five protestors were detained as they tried to disrupt traffic movement on NH-83 near Unta Chowk. They were later removed from the spot and normality was restored,” said Hulas Baitha, Sub-Inspector, Town police station, reported PTI. 

In Madhepura and Muzaffarpur too, the demonstartors tried to block movement of the traffic at several places but the security forces promptly dispersed them, the police said. 

Amid the protests, the state is also conducting recruitment exams for the post of constables in Bihar Police, Bihar Special Armed Police and other units in several districts. The state government had earlier instructed police to ensure smooth transportation of examinees to the test centres. 

The Rashtriya Janata Dal and other allies of the INDIA bloc have extended their support to the bandh.