Patna: Police used water cannons and lathicharge to disperse Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) candidates protesting near JP Golambar on Sunday evening. The candidates were demanding the complete cancellation of the 70th preliminary examination, alleging irregularities. Several students were injured in the incident, and some were detained by the police.
The candidates had gathered at Gandhi Maidan earlier in the day, staging a dharna in front of Gandhiji’s statue despite the district administration denying permission. At 5 pm, they started a foot march towards the Chief Minister’s residence but were stopped by barricades near JP Golambar. Jansuraj Party founder Prashant Kishore, who joined the protesters, was also stopped at the site.
Later in the evening, Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena invited the candidates for discussions. Prashant Kishore stated that a student delegation would meet with the Chief Secretary and that further action would depend on the outcome of the talks. After that Prashant Kishore left the site but students are still protesting. However, as the protesters refused to vacate the area, police detained some students after giving warnings and then police resorted to lathicharge after issuing final warnings.
The protest stems from allegations of rigging during the 70th preliminary exam conducted on December 13 at 912 centers across Bihar. While the exam at Patna’s Bapu Examination Complex was canceled and rescheduled for January 4, candidates are demanding a fresh exam for all centers, intensifying their agitation.
