Rahul Gandhi Accuses Bihar Police of Brutality Against Student Protesters
· India · The Hindu, India Today
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met Bihar-based students in New Delhi on Thursday (September 3, 2026) who were injured in police action during a student-led protest. He accused the Bihar government of using lathis, AK-47s, and pistols against the protesters, claiming a young man aspiring to join the Army suffered a leg injury from an AK-47 bullet that ended his "life-long dream". Gandhi said the police action was either directed from above or reflected the "utter failure" of the administration, and the government could not shift blame to "a few low-ranking officials". He warned that "any regime that suppresses the voice of the youth eventually has to answer to the people" and pledged full support and assistance to the injured students. The Bihar DGP has since banned the use of automatic and assault weapons by policemen for law and order duties, and a policeman who fired an AK-47 at protesters has been suspended.
Why it matters
The confrontation puts the BJP-led Bihar government on the defensive over use of military-grade weapons against student protesters, and Gandhi's direct intervention signals the INDIA bloc's intent to make alleged police excesses and youth unemployment a national political issue. The Bihar DGP's order banning assault weapons indicates the state government is already adjusting its policing posture in response to the backlash.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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