Students' protest turns violent in Patna, MLA's car window shattered, assembly security tightened

Patna, 22 July (ABN) Thousands of students staged a protest in Bihar's capital Patna on Wednesday under the banner of the All India Students Association (AISA) demanding action against alleged exam irregularities, paper leaks, and resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protest, which began as a march from Gandhi Maidan, turned violent when protesters attempted to move towards the Bihar Assembly. Loria MLA from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Viney Bihari informed the Assembly that protesters broke the windowpane of his vehicle when he was on his way to attend the second phase of the session. He said he narrowly escaped with the help of his security personnel. The Assembly Speaker assured action in the matter. Later, protesters attempted to move towards the Secretariat area. Meanwhile, security was beefed up in and around the Assembly premises, and all entry points to the Bihar Assembly and Bihar Legislative Council were closed as a precautionary measure.
Police had put up barricades near JP Golambar to stop the march, but protesters tried to break through, leading to a scuffle with security personnel. To disperse the crowd, police first used water cannons, then tear gas shells, and finally resorted to a lathi charge. Despite police action, some groups of protesters managed to reach Bailey Road near the Secretariat, where they blocked the road, causing severe traffic congestion in various parts of the capital. Long queues of vehicles formed on major roads, disrupting normal traffic movement during peak hours. Senior district and police officials at the Dak Bungalow crossing tried to persuade protesters to retreat, but they refused, insisting on their demands being met. After protesters moved towards the Assembly premises, the administration tightened security in the entire area, deploying additional police personnel around the Assembly and closing all entry points to the Bihar Assembly and Bihar Legislative Council as a precautionary measure.