Protest held in Patna over Bihar PSC exam paper leak, police baton-charge job aspirants

Patna: Chaos erupted during a protest here on Wednesday over the alleged leak of a question paper of the December 13 combined preliminary exam conducted by Bihar PSC, prompting the state police to baton charge job aspirants.

Job seekers claimed that several protesters were injured during the police action but a senior officer denied the charge.

The Congress condemned the police action on job aspirants, while Independent MP from Purnea Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav called for a Bihar bandh on January 1, 2025, if the December 13 combined preliminary examination is not cancelled.

A group of protesters marched towards the Bihar Public Service Commission's (BPSC) office to press their demands, and a confrontation between police personnel and the job seekers ensued after they were stopped, the officer said.

"A group of protestors, including job aspirants, gathered near the commission’s office on Bailey Road in the second half on Wednesday. They wanted to proceed towards the BPSC office, which the police did not allow. Some of them managed to reach the BPSC office and disrupted the movement of traffic.

"Despite repeated requests by the security personnel, they refused to vacate the road. It is a restricted area where protests are not allowed. Finally, mild force, including baton charge was used to disperse the protestors," Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajeev Mishra told PTI.

The police registered a case against protestors in connection with Wednesday’s incident, he added.

Protesters claimed that several job seekers were injured in the baton charge, which the SSP denied.

"As far as information we have, no protester sustained any injury. Mild force was used to disperse them," he said.

Video clips of the police action against job aspirants went viral on social media with some showing personnel chasing and beating up protesters, including women.

PTI could not verify the authenticity of the video clips.

Protesters were seen raising slogans against the BPSC officials and demanding the cancellation of the December 13 combined preliminary exam.

Some protesters alleged that they were "treated like terrorists" by the police.

"We were mercilessly beaten up by the police as if we are terrorists," said a protester without divulging his identity.

Some women reached the Gardani Bagh protest site wearing bangles.

“We have brought bangles for the BPSC officials”, a woman protester said without revealing her name.

“All protesters were asked to organise their protest at Gardani Bagh, the dedicated place for dharna. It is learnt that they (protestors) called ambulances on their own and some of them got themselves admitted to the nearest government hospital. The police have no official information in this regard as no one was injured in the action”, the SSP said.

"A girl in a purported video was verified with nearby hospitals and was found to have admitted herself to PMCH. According to the attending doctor, no visible injuries were observed. Additionally, an X-ray examination of her arm was conducted, which confirmed the absence of any fracture or injury," the police officer said.

The job aspirants have been demanding cancellation of the preliminary examination of the BPSC and requested the commission to announce a fresh date for the test at the earliest.

Protesters alleged that question papers were leaked before the examination started at certain centres.

Reacting to the baton charge by the police on job aspirants, the Independent MP from Purnea called for a Bihar bandh on January 1, if the December 13 combined preliminary exam is not cancelled.

"If the BPSC does not cancel its December 13 exam, we will call a Bihar bandh on January 1, 2025. I demand immediate cancellation of the December 13 exam….if it is not cancelled in a day or two, my supporters will call the bandh. Police baton charges on protesters are highly condemnable," Yadav said. The Bihar Congress also condemned the police action on job aspirants on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters, Bihar Congress spokesperson Rajesh Rathore said, “The state government and the BPSC must accept students' demand. Our party condemn Wednesday's police action against them”.

However, BPSC chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai on Tuesday ruled out the cancellation of the entire exam.

He, however, made it clear that BPSC would conduct a re-examination of candidates who appeared for the test at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre in Patna on December 13.

Manubhai announced that the re-examination would be held on January 4, 2025.

The BPSC recently cancelled its combined preliminary examination held at Bapu Pariksha Parisar in Patna's Kumhrar locality, where an on-duty official died of a heart attack after a ruckus was created by "unruly" candidates on December 13.

The commission also served show-cause notices to 34 aspirants, who were allegedly part of the disruption created at Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre.