Protesters, police clash amid violent Bihar student protests; Tej Pratap detained
Violent clashes in Patna, Chapra and Aurangabad disrupted normal life as protesters threw stones, attacked police vehicles and tried breaching barricades, prompting heavy security deployment to restore order.
Violent clashes erupted across several parts of Bihar on Saturday as protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak escalated during a statewide bandh, with demonstrators throwing stones at police, vandalising public property and blocking roads in multiple districts. As the unrest unfolded across the country, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down in a bid to prevent the situation from worsening further.
Meanwhile, amid the unrest in Bihar, Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav was detained by police in Patna after joining a demonstration in support of the agitating students, while police reported injuries to personnel and tightened security across the state.
VIOLENT SCENES ACROSS BIHAR
The most serious incidents were reported in Patna, Chapra and Aurangabad, where confrontations between protesters and security forces disrupted normal life.
Heavy police deployment was rushed to sensitive locations as authorities worked to restore order following reports of stone-throwing, attacks on police vehicles and attempts to breach barricades.
In Chapra, located in Saran district, student protesters allegedly hurled stones at police personnel, prompting senior district officials, including District Magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava and Senior Superintendent of Police Vineet Kumar, to rush to the spot.
Additional forces were deployed before police dispersed the crowd and brought the situation under control.
Officials said the law and order situation had stabilised, although tension continued to prevail in the area.
In Patna, protesters gathered near Gandhi Maidan and Ram Gulam Chowk in support of the Bihar bandh called over the NEET paper leak issue.
Visuals from the protest showed demonstrators vandalising a traffic police booth, damaging police vehicles and clashing with security personnel.
Police responded by firing tear gas shells after protesters allegedly resorted to stone-throwing and attempted to break through barricades. Several students were detained during the operation.
Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma said protesters had targeted security personnel during the demonstration.
"Protesters threw 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," he said.
TEJ PRATAP YADAV DETAINED
Tej Pratap Yadav, who had joined the protesters to express solidarity with students, was taken into custody from Exhibition Road within the Gandhi Maidan police station limits. Before being escorted away by police, he reiterated his support for the agitation.
"The children's demands are legitimate. The government must fulfil their demands, and we stand firmly with them. I am ready to lay down my life for the students and youth," Yadav said.
AURANGABAD VIOLENCE
Elsewhere, two police personnel sustained injuries during clashes in Aurangabad, while reports of stone-throwing also emerged from other districts.
Members of the All India Students' Association (AISA), Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) and other left-affiliated student groups staged demonstrations in districts including Samastipur, Siwan, Madhepura, Nalanda and Nawada.
Protesters blocked roads, burnt tyres and raised slogans demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the examination controversy.
The statewide bandh, however, witnessed a mixed response. While districts such as Patna saw violent confrontations, police said the impact remained limited in places including Nalanda, Nawada, Jehanabad and Rohtas, where protests were largely peaceful under heavy security deployment.
Riot control units, SWAT teams and additional police personnel were stationed at sensitive locations, while authorities cancelled the leave of police personnel to strengthen law enforcement across the state.
DAYS OF ANTI-PAPER LEAK PROTESTS
The latest unrest comes days after similar anti-NEET protests in Patna descended into violence, leading to a large-scale police crackdown.
Police have arrested dozens of people, registered FIRs against hundreds of named accused and thousands of unidentified persons, and identified more than 100 suspected participants through CCTV footage and video evidence.
Authorities have indicated that further arrests are likely as investigations continue.
The Bihar agitation forms part of a wider nationwide campaign over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
Student organisations have been holding demonstrations in Delhi, particularly at Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability, the resignation of the Union Education Minister and reforms in the examination system.
With investigations expanding and fresh protests being planned, the standoff between agitating students and authorities appears far from over.
Violent clashes erupted across several parts of Bihar on Saturday as protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak escalated during a statewide bandh, with demonstrators throwing stones at police, vandalising public property and blocking roads in multiple districts. As the unrest unfolded across the country, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down in a bid to prevent the situation from worsening further.
Meanwhile, amid the unrest in Bihar, Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav was detained by police in Patna after joining a demonstration in support of the agitating students, while police reported injuries to personnel and tightened security across the state.
VIOLENT SCENES ACROSS BIHAR
The most serious incidents were reported in Patna, Chapra and Aurangabad, where confrontations between protesters and security forces disrupted normal life.
Heavy police deployment was rushed to sensitive locations as authorities worked to restore order following reports of stone-throwing, attacks on police vehicles and attempts to breach barricades.
In Chapra, located in Saran district, student protesters allegedly hurled stones at police personnel, prompting senior district officials, including District Magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava and Senior Superintendent of Police Vineet Kumar, to rush to the spot.
Additional forces were deployed before police dispersed the crowd and brought the situation under control.
Officials said the law and order situation had stabilised, although tension continued to prevail in the area.
In Patna, protesters gathered near Gandhi Maidan and Ram Gulam Chowk in support of the Bihar bandh called over the NEET paper leak issue.
Visuals from the protest showed demonstrators vandalising a traffic police booth, damaging police vehicles and clashing with security personnel.
Police responded by firing tear gas shells after protesters allegedly resorted to stone-throwing and attempted to break through barricades. Several students were detained during the operation.
Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma said protesters had targeted security personnel during the demonstration.
"Protesters threw 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," he said.
TEJ PRATAP YADAV DETAINED
Tej Pratap Yadav, who had joined the protesters to express solidarity with students, was taken into custody from Exhibition Road within the Gandhi Maidan police station limits. Before being escorted away by police, he reiterated his support for the agitation.
"The children's demands are legitimate. The government must fulfil their demands, and we stand firmly with them. I am ready to lay down my life for the students and youth," Yadav said.
AURANGABAD VIOLENCE
Elsewhere, two police personnel sustained injuries during clashes in Aurangabad, while reports of stone-throwing also emerged from other districts.
Members of the All India Students' Association (AISA), Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) and other left-affiliated student groups staged demonstrations in districts including Samastipur, Siwan, Madhepura, Nalanda and Nawada.
Protesters blocked roads, burnt tyres and raised slogans demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the examination controversy.
The statewide bandh, however, witnessed a mixed response. While districts such as Patna saw violent confrontations, police said the impact remained limited in places including Nalanda, Nawada, Jehanabad and Rohtas, where protests were largely peaceful under heavy security deployment.
Riot control units, SWAT teams and additional police personnel were stationed at sensitive locations, while authorities cancelled the leave of police personnel to strengthen law enforcement across the state.
DAYS OF ANTI-PAPER LEAK PROTESTS
The latest unrest comes days after similar anti-NEET protests in Patna descended into violence, leading to a large-scale police crackdown.
Police have arrested dozens of people, registered FIRs against hundreds of named accused and thousands of unidentified persons, and identified more than 100 suspected participants through CCTV footage and video evidence.
Authorities have indicated that further arrests are likely as investigations continue.
The Bihar agitation forms part of a wider nationwide campaign over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
Student organisations have been holding demonstrations in Delhi, particularly at Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability, the resignation of the Union Education Minister and reforms in the examination system.
With investigations expanding and fresh protests being planned, the standoff between agitating students and authorities appears far from over.
Violent clashes erupted across several parts of Bihar on Saturday as protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak escalated during a statewide bandh, with demonstrators throwing stones at police, vandalising public property and blocking roads in multiple districts. As the unrest unfolded across the country, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down in a bid to prevent the situation from worsening further.
Meanwhile, amid the unrest in Bihar, Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav was detained by police in Patna after joining a demonstration in support of the agitating students, while police reported injuries to personnel and tightened security across the state.
VIOLENT SCENES ACROSS BIHAR
The most serious incidents were reported in Patna, Chapra and Aurangabad, where confrontations between protesters and security forces disrupted normal life.
Heavy police deployment was rushed to sensitive locations as authorities worked to restore order following reports of stone-throwing, attacks on police vehicles and attempts to breach barricades.
In Chapra, located in Saran district, student protesters allegedly hurled stones at police personnel, prompting senior district officials, including District Magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava and Senior Superintendent of Police Vineet Kumar, to rush to the spot.
Additional forces were deployed before police dispersed the crowd and brought the situation under control.
Officials said the law and order situation had stabilised, although tension continued to prevail in the area.
In Patna, protesters gathered near Gandhi Maidan and Ram Gulam Chowk in support of the Bihar bandh called over the NEET paper leak issue.
Visuals from the protest showed demonstrators vandalising a traffic police booth, damaging police vehicles and clashing with security personnel.
Police responded by firing tear gas shells after protesters allegedly resorted to stone-throwing and attempted to break through barricades. Several students were detained during the operation.
Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma said protesters had targeted security personnel during the demonstration.
"Protesters threw 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," he said.
TEJ PRATAP YADAV DETAINED
Tej Pratap Yadav, who had joined the protesters to express solidarity with students, was taken into custody from Exhibition Road within the Gandhi Maidan police station limits. Before being escorted away by police, he reiterated his support for the agitation.
"The children's demands are legitimate. The government must fulfil their demands, and we stand firmly with them. I am ready to lay down my life for the students and youth," Yadav said.
AURANGABAD VIOLENCE
Elsewhere, two police personnel sustained injuries during clashes in Aurangabad, while reports of stone-throwing also emerged from other districts.
Members of the All India Students' Association (AISA), Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) and other left-affiliated student groups staged demonstrations in districts including Samastipur, Siwan, Madhepura, Nalanda and Nawada.
Protesters blocked roads, burnt tyres and raised slogans demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the examination controversy.
The statewide bandh, however, witnessed a mixed response. While districts such as Patna saw violent confrontations, police said the impact remained limited in places including Nalanda, Nawada, Jehanabad and Rohtas, where protests were largely peaceful under heavy security deployment.
Riot control units, SWAT teams and additional police personnel were stationed at sensitive locations, while authorities cancelled the leave of police personnel to strengthen law enforcement across the state.
DAYS OF ANTI-PAPER LEAK PROTESTS
The latest unrest comes days after similar anti-NEET protests in Patna descended into violence, leading to a large-scale police crackdown.
Police have arrested dozens of people, registered FIRs against hundreds of named accused and thousands of unidentified persons, and identified more than 100 suspected participants through CCTV footage and video evidence.
Authorities have indicated that further arrests are likely as investigations continue.
The Bihar agitation forms part of a wider nationwide campaign over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
Student organisations have been holding demonstrations in Delhi, particularly at Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability, the resignation of the Union Education Minister and reforms in the examination system.
With investigations expanding and fresh protests being planned, the standoff between agitating students and authorities appears far from over.
