Top cop in Bihar's Siwan removed amid row over use of AK-47 during student protest

Key points

• The Bihar government on Tuesday transferred the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Siwan and Bhojpur districts, where police action against…
• Manish Kumar, SP, Special Branch, has been shifted to Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) in the same capacity.
• While Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha has been kept at police headquarters waiting for posting, Bhojpur SP Raj has been…
• The Siwan SP’s removal from the post came hours after the state government informed the Supreme Court that constable Abhishek…

The Bihar government on Tuesday transferred the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Siwan and Bhojpur districts, where police action against student protesters had triggered controversies.

While Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha has been kept at police headquarters waiting for posting, Bhojpur SP Raj has been posted as SP of neighbouring Rohtas district.

While Raj faced sharp criticism following the alleged killing of 28-year-old Bharat Bhushan Tiwari in a fake encounter, jha courted controversy after police allegedly opened fire with an AK-47 during a students’ protest in Siwan on July 25.

The Siwan SP’s removal from the post came hours after the state government informed the Supreme Court that constable Abhishek Kumar. This person allegedly opened fire with an AK-47, has already been put under suspension.

What happened

The state government informed the apex court that the constable fired four rounds from his AK-47 only after he felt trapped and surrounded by protestors, and the shots were fired in the air. The state maintained that nobody was injured in the police firing.

Bihar government’s response was filed before the Supreme Court in proceedings arising from petitions alleging police excesses during protests over exam paper leak. The protests were held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi by supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party-led movement.

Meanwhile, Raj, who was posted as SP of Bhojpur, has been transferred to Rohtas in the same capacity.

Raj faced public backlash over the alleged killing of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari in a fake police encounter. Tiwari was shot five times even after he had surrendered before police.

The details

Jha and Raj are among 18 IPS officers transferred by the Samrat Choudhary government.

According to a notification issued by the state home department, Hridaya Kant has been made SP of Nalanda, the home district of former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Similarly, Vinit Kumar, Saran SP, will be replaced by Roushan Kumar. This person was the SP of Rohtas. While Vinit has been posted as SP, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), roushan has been made SSP of Saran district.

Bharat Soni has been made the new SP of Siwan. Awadhesh Dixit will take charge as SP of Bhojpur.

Why it matters

Senior officials, even so, claimed that it was a routine transfer to improve law and order situation in the state.