Student demonstrations over the alleged NEET paper leak took a severe and violent turn in Bihar's capital, Patna, on Wednesday. What began as a march demanding justice quickly escalated into widespread unrest across multiple areas of the city by the evening. The intense clashes between the protesting students and law enforcement authorities led to significant property damage, including targeted attacks on the vehicles of prominent political figures. As the situation spiraled out of control, security agencies were forced to heavily barricade the city's highest security zones to maintain law and order.
BJP MLA Rohit Pandey's Convoy Surrounded
The unrest reached a boiling point near the Patna Museum when the convoy of BJP MLA Rohit Pandey was intercepted by the agitated crowd. According to the sequence of events, a large group of protestors was actively advancing towards the Chief Minister's residence and the Bihar Vidhan Sabha when they encountered the legislator's vehicles passing through the route. The demonstrators quickly surrounded the convoy, creating a tense and chaotic atmosphere on the street. The situation turned destructive as the crowd allegedly resorted to heavy stone-pelting, resulting in severe vandalism of the vehicles accompanying the MLA. However, prompt intervention by the police personnel present at the scene prevented further harm; they managed to secure the area temporarily and safely escorted the MLA out of the volatile situation.
Minister's Vehicle Vandalized Amidst Clashes
The anger of the protestors was not limited to one location or a single political figure. During a massive march directed towards the Lokbhavan, several violent skirmishes broke out between the agitating youths and the deployed police units at various intersections. In the midst of this widespread chaos, another major incident of vandalism was reported outside the residence of Bihar government minister Ram Kripal Yadav. An empty vehicle parked right outside the minister's house became the target of the mob's fury and was badly damaged by the passing protestors.
Police Resort to Force to Disperse Crowds
The massive demonstration originated early in the morning from Patna's historic Gandhi Maidan, with thousands of students gathering to voice their anger over the NEET examination irregularities. However, as the day progressed into evening, the agitation spread to numerous commercial and residential neighborhoods across the capital. To control the swelling and increasingly aggressive crowds, the local police had to employ severe crowd-control measures. Security forces extensively used lathicharge, fired tear gas shells, and deployed water cannons in multiple attempts to scatter the protestors, while the students retaliated with intense stone-pelting and public property damage.
Paramilitary Forces Secure VVIP Zones
Recognizing the gravity of the deteriorating law and order situation and the specific targeting of political leaders, the administration immediately escalated security protocols. All entry and exit gates of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha were completely shut down to prevent any unauthorized entry by the agitating mobs. Furthermore, to ensure the safety of top government officials and ministers, heavy deployments of paramilitary forces were stationed throughout the designated VVIP areas of the capital, turning the administrative center into a fortress.
