Patna Police cane charge, use water cannons to disperse BPSC protestors (Ld)

Patna, Dec 30 The ongoing protests in Patna against the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) turned chaotic on Sunday as Patna Police resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannons to disperse thousands of protesting candidates.

The demonstrators, demanding the cancellation of the entire 70th BPSC Combined PT Examination held on December 13, due to alleged widespread irregularities, had been sitting in the middle of the road near Gandhi Maidan, refusing to move despite police efforts.

As the protest intensified, the police used water cannons on the students in an attempt to clear the road. When this measure failed to disperse the protesters, the police resorted to lathi-charge.

The situation quickly spiraled into chaos, with students claiming they were subjected to tear gas and physical force, and were even dragged off the streets. Female candidates were reportedly among those mishandled during the confrontation.

One of the protesters, Mohammad Gulzar from Begusarai, fell unconscious amid the protest and was immediately taken to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for treatment.

Detainees accused the authorities of labelling them as miscreants despite their claim of staging a peaceful protest.

The students gathered in large numbers despite the district administration not granting permission for the assembly in and around Gandhi Maidan. The protestors staged a sit-in (dharna) in front of Bapu’s statue and organised Chhatra Sansad, presenting their demands peacefully.

By evening, the candidates, joined by Jan Suraj Party leader Prashant Kishor, attempted to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence. But when police stopped them by erecting barricades near JP Golambar, Kishor and the students sat on the road in protest.

This caused a significant traffic jam in the area, further escalating tensions.

The police’s refusal to allow the march to proceed prompted the students to continue their sit-in, with Kishor walking and standing in solidarity.

As the protest disrupted the city’s traffic, police hinted at registering FIRs against the demonstrators.

The protests, now entering 10th day, are primarily driven by allegations of a paper leak at the Bapu exam centre.

Although the BPSC conducted a re-examination at that centre, the commission maintains that the irregularities were isolated and do not justify cancelling the entire exam.

On Friday, BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh reiterated the commission's position, stating that the 70th CCE exam would not be annulled under any circumstances.

He confirmed that the main examination would proceed as scheduled in April and urged candidates to focus on their preparations rather than continuing protests.

Singh also stated that the exam was conducted transparently and pointed out that only a small group of candidates were protesting, without any substantial evidence to support their allegations.

Meanwhile, earlier, the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) had announced the release of admit cards for the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination (CCE) 2024 re-exam.

The re-examination, scheduled for January 4, 2024, will only apply to approximately 12,000 candidates who appeared at the Bapu Campus Exam Centre in Patna on December 13, 2024.

Source: IANS