Police action against protesters who participated in the Bihar bandh on Saturday (July 25, 2026) continues, with around 450 people arrested so far in connection with the shutdown.
The Bihar bandh was organised in solidarity with the student protests held at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere, demanding the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy.
A large number of those arrested are students and young people.
The arrested students and their families questioned the police action. They claimed that the real rioters escaped, while the students who were studying were targeted.
In Patna, police arrested former minister and Janshakthi Janta Dal (JJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav and CPI(ML) MLA Sandeep Saurabh.
Tej Pratap Yadav has been lodged in Beur Jail after a court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody, according to reports. He is expected to file a bail application on Monday. An FIR has been registered against him under serious charges, including attempted murder and inciting a riot.
According to a report citing Prabhat Khabar, the arrests were made despite the Union government's assurance that no cases related to the protests would be registered in NDA-ruled states.
Siwan police have intensified their crackdown in connection with the violence that occurred during the Bihar bandh. The police officer who allegedly opened fire with an AK-47 has been suspended.
At least three protesters were reportedly injured after police opened fire on demonstrators in Bihar's Siwan district.
So far, police have registered FIRs against 2,500 unidentified individuals and arrested 102 people in connection with the violence. Based on CCTV footage and other evidence, more arrests are likely, the newspaper reported.
Meanwhile, senior RJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha has approached the Supreme Court, seeking the registration of FIRs over the alleged use of excessive force by Bihar Police against student protesters.