Dhiraj Kumar Gond is waiting outside Medanta Hospital in Patna. He is attending to his cousin Bullet Kumar Gond, who was shot at in Siwan during the Bihar Bandh protest against paper leaks on July 25. 

“Bullet is preparing for police and army recruitment exams. He had already cleared the physical running test for the army. He told me that on that day, he had come to Siwan to get his caste and residential certificates made. He was on his way from the railway station to the district collectorate. When he reached ‘Adda Number Two’, he saw a clash unfolding between the police and protesters, with stone-pelting occurring from both sides. He thought he could slip past the crowd. But just then, a bullet struck his leg above the knee,” alleged Dhiraj, a resident of Dumarhar village in Siwan district.

“Then the police brought him here...Doctors said his bone was fractured. He underwent surgery and had a steel rod inserted.”

The 20-year-old is among three youths brought to the same hospital with gunshot injuries after Siwan district witnessed some of the most violent protests during the student-led Bihar Bandh against the NEET paper leak. According to various media reports, the police had fired at least 15 rounds that day – four from long-range weapons, three from pistols, and eight from an AK-47 fired by the SP’s personal security officer. 

The district administration had initially denied that any police firing had taken place. But allegations have continued to mount and with them, there has been a change in positions. 

The Siwan SP, for example, told the Indian Express that “it wasn’t clear whether the bullets in all three cases were fired by the police or elsewhere”. He told Newslaundry that none of the three were hit by AK-47 fire. Though he later told the BBC that one of the youths was struck by a police bullet, without clarifying whether it was an AK-47.

The police maintain that the AK-47 firing took place at JP Chowk. The three injured youths were found at different locations: Akash and the minor were found at Hafiz Chowk, 1.5 km from JP Chowk, while Bullet was found injured near the Transit Police Station, two kilometres from JP Chowk. 

If not the AK-47, were the bullets fired from other police-issued weapons – such as pistols or long-range rifles – that hit the three? Officials say the matter is under investigation. 

Who are the victims?

The bullets hit 22-year-old Akash Kumar, 20-year-old Bullet, and a 17-year-old minor.

Bullet Kumar Gond comes from a family of agricultural labourers and belongs to a tribal community. He has three brothers: his elder brother, Rohit, works as a mechanic in Mumbai, while his younger brother operates a crane in Chhattisgarh. He also has an unmarried sister who lives at home while studying. Bullet is the only member of his lower-middle-class family pursuing a government job. He has been preparing for recruitment exams for the BSF, the Army, and the Bihar Police.

The two other injured youths from Siwan have since been discharged from hospital. One of them, Akash, hails from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. His fiancée is from Siwan, and he had travelled there to celebrate his birthday with her. He had stepped out to buy a cake when a clash broke out between the police and students. He says he was standing on the sidelines watching the commotion when a bullet struck his shoulder.

While Akash was undergoing treatment, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi spoke to him. After being discharged, he is currently staying at his fiancée's home in Siwan, as the hospital has asked him to return for a follow-up check-up in a week.

The third victim, a minor, works at a shop in Siwan. After his father died, the responsibility of supporting the family rests on his shoulders. His family lives in a rented house in the city. He was shot in the neck and has been advised not to speak. This account was provided by his caretaker, who looked after him at the Patna hospital. The caretaker said that after being discharged, the youth was sent to his maternal grandparents’ home, but he could not explain how the boy was shot, saying he had no information on the matter.

Lack of clarity in the police’s account

Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, shared the video of the AK-47. Rahul Gandhi later posted about the issue on social media as well. The matter was brought up before the Supreme Court on July 28 too. 

As the video spread, Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha admitted that Constable Abhishek Kumar had fired the AK-47 in self-defence and suspended him. According to media reports, the constable is Jha’s own PSO. 

District Magistrate Vivek Ranjan Maitreya called it “a major lapse” on the part of the police. “He had no orders. He should not have even fired in the air. He should not have carried such a weapon into a public setting,” Maitreya told the media. “As the SP stated, he was on his way elsewhere and got trapped there.”

Speaking to Newslaundry, Akhilesh Kumar, a former police officer who is now an Assistant Professor at Science College, Patna, called the police firing a clear breach of protocol. 

“This is a blatant violation of the police manual. Police are issued weapons like the AK-47 so they can counter adversaries using automatic weapons during criminal encounters. How can you fire an AK-47 at protesters?” he asked. 

“When I was in the police force, we were taught that if a mob turns violent, our objective should be to disperse it. This involves making announcements first; if that fails, using mild force with lathis. Subsequent options include water cannons and tear gas shells. Firing in the air is considered a last resort. Here, however, the AK-47 was fired directly, and aimed at the crowd,” added Akhilesh. 

Speaking to Newslaundry, Jha ruled out AK-47 fire for all three. “We are certain that these three youths were not hit by AK-47 bullets, as the locations where they were injured fall under different police station jurisdictions. We are investigating how and where they were shot, and whether or not they were injured by police fire. Once the investigation is complete, I will personally hold a press conference to share the details.”

A press release issued by the Siwan Police on July 27 said Constable Abhishek Kumar, deployed near JP Chowk, had fired four rounds into the air to protect lives and government property after being surrounded by a mob. The viral video does not clarify the law and order situation the constable was faced with.

Political reactions

Newslaundry also spoke with political parties in Siwan and organisations involved in the protests. The bandh was jointly called by the student and youth wings of the CPI(ML).

Amarjit Kushwaha, a local party leader and former MLA, said his organisation’s protest at JP Chowk ended peacefully with a procession to Chandu Chowk by 12:15 pm. He claimed a separate, peaceful protest at Gandhi Maidan later turned violent, with shots fired there – an incident he suspects involved students affiliated with the RSS-BJP. 

“The police should have exercised restraint in opening fire,” he said, alleging that instead, officers raided the homes of dozens from his organisation, including his own, breaking locks and confiscating phones.

Sushil Kumar, Siwan District Congress president, gave a different account of Gandhi Maidan. He said independent groups had organised a flags-free protest there, displaying only the Tricolour – until CPI(ML) members arrived carrying party flags, sparking a dispute. Police then lathi-charged the crowd, he said. Since Gandhi Maidan has only one exit, many students were injured jumping over its boundary wall.

“In the ensuing outrage, students began pelting stones at the police,” Sushil alleged. “In retaliation, the police opened fire... There was no justification for opening fire. Shots were fired from AK-47s and pistols... So, is the SP's blood the only blood that matters? Is the blood of these young people worthless?”

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