Left-wing student organisations staged protests and clashed with police across several districts of Bihar on Saturday in support of the statewide bandh over the NEET paper leak and police action against student protesters.
The bandh elicited a mixed response across the state, with districts like Patna witnessing stone pelting, while Nalanda, Nawada, Jehanabad, and Rohtas had little impact, police said.
Security has been tightened with heavy police deployment across all districts of the state.
Protesters allegedly pelted stones and bricks at police personnel at Dak Bungalow Chouraha in Patna, after which police detained several students.
"Protesters pelted stones at us. They even tried to break the barricading. We have detained several students. Police is on high alert. We will trace the troublemakers and take appropriate action against them," Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma told reporters.
All leaves of police personnel have been cancelled to maintain law and order, a senior official said.
Police held flag march in several areas, including Patna's Paliganj locality, as a precautionary measure.
Administration has ordered private schools in Patna to remain closed during the bandh.
Janata Janashakthi Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav visited Ram Gulam Chowk in Patna to extend support to the protesting students.
In Siwan district, AISA, RYA and other left-wing organisations staged protests at JP Chowk.
Protesters carrying banners of All India Students Association (AISA) and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) blocked the Samastipur-Patna main road by burning tyres and raised slogans against the government.
Former MLA and CPI(ML) leader Amarjeet Kushwaha, who was present during the protest, said, "Protest has been underway at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for the last 26 days. Students also came out on the streets of Patna on Wednesday. However, both in Delhi and in Patna, they faced brutal police action. Even women and girls were not spared."
He alleged that the government has adopted a dictatorial approach towards handling protests.
In Madhepura district, over a dozen students, including NSUI's state vice president Nishant Yadav, were detained as they assembled at the TP College Chowk to protest.
Shops in the district remained closed, but were reopened as the impact of the Bandh remained negligible.
Nawada witnessed sporadic protests and sloganeering by students near Hospital Mor, but the protest remained peaceful amid heavy police deployment. Riot control force and SWAT teams were also deployed near protest sites.
In Jehanabad, which witnessed violent students' agitation and stone pelting at the DM residence on Thursday, protests during the bandh remained peaceful.
Police conducted flag march and ensured heavy deployment of forces across the district.
"We are committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety of the people. I appeal to the people to cooperate with us and not believe in any misinformation and rumours," Jehanabad SP Kota Kiran Kumar said.
Student leaders carried out a protest march in Bihar Sharif in the Nalanda district amid heavy police deployment on the occasion of the band.
RYA district president of Nalanda, Viresh Kumar, alleged that 100 paper leaks had occurred under the tenure of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, demanding that he should resign.
"We have called Bharat Bandh because more than 100 exam papers have leaked under Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure. Our demand is very clear. He must take responsibility and resign from his post," he said.
Referring to police action in New Delhi and Bihar, Kumar said that the administration is reacting in an authoritarian manner.
Meanwhile, the students' wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Students' Federation of India (SFI), held a night vigil 'Raat Jaago, Desh Jaago', on Friday in support of the students' struggle at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
SFI leaders demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, abolition of the National Testing Agency (NTA), withdrawal of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, compensation of Rs 20 lakh each for affected candidates, and Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of students who died by suicide after the NEET paper leak.
Initially scheduled to be held at Patna Junction, the night vigil was shifted to Jamal Road- where the CPI headquarters is located--due to rains.
(With inputs from PTI)
