Leftist students stage demonstration, clash with police in support of Bihar bandh

Members of left-wing student organizations staged demonstrations and clashed with police in several districts of Bihar on Saturday (July 25, 2026) in support of a nationwide group calling for the NEET paper leak and police action against protesting students, officials said.

The bandh turned violent in Patna, Saran, Siwan, Aurangabad and Bhagalpur, while districts like Samastipur, Nawada and Nalanda witnessed mild protests, police said. Security has been beefed up with heavy police deployment in all districts of the state.

Protesters pelted stones and bricks at the police at the Dak Chouraha bungalow in Patna, following which the police detained several students. “The protesters pelted stones at us. They even tried to break the barricade. We have detained several students. Police are on high alert. We will track down the troublemakers and take appropriate action against them,” Patna SSP Kartikeya K. Sharma told reporters.

“Police had to use mild force to disperse the crowd to prevent it from swelling,” the officer said. “All leaves of police personnel have been canceled to maintain law and order,” a senior official said. As a precautionary measure, police organized flag marches in several areas, including Paliganj locality in Patna.

The Patna district administration has ordered private schools in Patna to remain closed on Saturday (July 25, 2026) during the bandh. Janshakti Janta Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav visited Ram Gulam Chowk in Patna to support the protesting students. However, he was later arrested by the police.

In Siwan district, AISA, RYA and other leftist organizations staged protests against JP Chowk. Former MLA and CPI(ML) leader Amarjeet Kushwaha, who was present during the protest, said, “The protest was going on in Delhi at Jantar Mantar for the last 26 days. Students also took to the streets of Patna on Wednesday (July 22, 2026).

However, they faced brutal police action in both Delhi and Patna. Even women and girls were not spared.” He alleged that the government had adopted a dictatorial approach to deal with the protests. Clashes broke out between different groups of protesters in the district.

“We have carried out photography and filming using drone cameras. The police will take strict action against the miscreants, both from within the district and outside. There were three groups of protesters, only one of which was granted permission to protest. They clashed near Gandhi Maidan and the police had to fire 6-7 rounds of tear gas and use moderate force to control the situation,” SP Puran Chandra Jha told reporters. He said that an FIR would be registered against the miscreants and strict action would be taken.

The protests turned violent at Chhapra in Saran district, where students pelted stones at policemen, torched a district administration vehicle, vandalized several other vehicles and ran away with barricades. Police had to use mild force to contain the violence.

In Aurangabad district, two policemen and a journalist were injured in stone-pelting by protesters, officials said. Police detained over a dozen protesters who were allegedly involved in throwing stones.

In Bhagalpur, a peaceful protest march was launched from Station Chowk, but as the crowd approached the busy Tilkamanjhi crossing, some students blocked the road and pelted stones at policemen. Students also overturned a police vehicle near the protest site. The police had to use batons to disperse the crowd, but the situation is now under control.

Bhagalpur DM Alankrita Pandey said the situation is now under control. The police detained several people. “Students pelted stones and vandalized two police vehicles. No persons were injured or other vehicles were damaged. We have identified several people using CCTV footage. Several protesters have been arrested. Strict action will be taken against miscreants,” said Bhagalpur SSP Pramod Kumar Yadav.

Carrying banners of All India Students Association (AISA) and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA), protesters blocked the Samastipur-Patna main road by burning tires and raised anti-government slogans.

In Madhepura district, more than a dozen students, including NSUI state vice-president Nishant Yadav, were detained when they gathered at TP College Chowk in protest. Shops in the district remained closed but were reopened as the impact of the bandh there remained negligible. Nawada witnessed sporadic protests and sloganeering by students near Plague Hospital, but the protest remained peaceful amid heavy police deployment. Riot control units and SWAT teams were also deployed near the protest sites.

In Jehanabad, which witnessed violent agitation by students and stone pelting at the DM’s residence on Thursday (July 23, 2026), protests during the bandh were largely peaceful.

Police conducted a flag march and ensured heavy deployment of forces across the district. “We are determined to maintain law and order and ensure people’s safety. I appeal to people to cooperate with us and not believe any misinformation and rumours,” Jehanabad SP Kota Kiran Kumar said.

Student leaders took out a protest march at Bihar Sharif in Nalanda district amid heavy police deployment to mark the bandh. Nalanda RYA district president Viresh Kumar alleged that there were 100 paper leaks during the tenure of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and demanded that he step down.

“We have called Bharat Bandh because more than 100 exam papers were leaked during Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure. Our demand is very clear. He must take responsibility and resign from his post,” he said. Referring to police action in Delhi and Bihar, Kumar said the administration was responding in an authoritative manner.

Meanwhile, the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), on Friday (July 24, 2026) organized a ‘Raat Jaago, Desh Jaago’ night vigil in support of the student struggle at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

Published – 25 Jul 2026 17:04 IST