Patna, Aug 4: Hundreds of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) members and students staged a protest in Patna on Tuesday over alleged examination paper leaks, unemployment and other student-related concerns. Police used water cannons after protesters attempted to move towards the Bihar Chief Minister’s residence.
The protest march began near the Kotwali area and was joined by Independent MP Pappu Yadav, NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar and Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram.Police personnel placed barricades near Income Tax Golambar and stopped the demonstrators from proceeding towards the Chief Minister’s residence. When sections of the crowd attempted to move beyond the security barricades, police deployed water cannons to prevent the march from advancing.
Despite the police action, protesters continued raising slogans and pressing for action on issues related to students and young people.The demonstration received support from around 15 student organisations linked to Patna University. The groups raised demands concerning alleged examination paper leaks, unemployment, compensation for a person injured during a protest in Siwan and the release of students detained during earlier demonstrations.
Addressing the gathering, Pappu Yadav said the campaign against those accused of compromising the future of students through alleged paper leaks would continue.The NSUI later claimed that its National President, Vinod Jakhar, was detained during the protest. In a social media post, the organisation said the student movement would continue and alleged that attempts were being made to suppress the voices of students.
Security was strengthened around the Chief Minister’s residence, with additional police personnel deployed in the surrounding areas to prevent the protesters from moving further and to maintain public order.No immediate statement was available from the police regarding the reported detention or the allegations raised by the student organisation.
