PATNA: Candidates appearing for the Bihar Police Prohibition Constable examination on Sunday allegedly indulged in stone pelting and vandalism at Patliputra railway station under the Danapur railway division of East Central Railway following delays in train services.
IG Jitendra Rana and several Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel sustained minor injuries in the stone pelting. A heavy police contingent was deployed at the station, while additional forces were rushed from headquarters to bring the situation under control.
The trouble began when hundreds of students gathered at the station, alleging inadequate train arrangements for exam-related travel. Protesters squatted on railway tracks, disrupted train services and demanded cancellation of the examination.
The government had arranged special trains for examinees. A female student said several candidates failed to board trains due to overcrowding. They later prevented a train from moving forward. “This led to a chaos at the railway station,” she added.
As protesters ransacked the station and stalls, police fired in the air to quell the stone-pelting mob. They also lobbed tear gas shells and conducted a baton charge to disperse the crowd. Personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), GRP and local police later cleared the tracks and restored normal train operations.
"There were around 200–250 students who were preventing a train from departing. When police and railway security personnel tried to persuade them to move, some individuals began pelting stones. "To prevent any loss of life or property, necessary action was taken," IG Rana said to the media, adding that train services have since resumed.
A heavy police presence remained at the station as a precautionary measure, while senior officials reached the spot to assess the situation.
Patna District Magistrate Thiyagarajan S.M. said the administration had arranged special trains for candidates and alleged that anti-social elements mixed with the protesters and triggered the violence by throwing stones.
"We received information late at night about disturbances at the railway station. Officials reached the spot and dispersed the crowd using minimal force. The situation is now completely peaceful and under control," he added.
The unrest comes a day before the commencement of the written examination being conducted by the Central Selection Board (Constable Recruitment) for 2,417 warder posts, 1,603 Prohibition Constable posts and 108 Mobile Squad Constable posts.
The examination is scheduled to be held from June 14 to June 17 at centres across Bihar.
(With inputs from ANI)
