The Congress on Monday (August 10, 2026) alleged that the Bihar Police had subjected students protesting in solidarity with the agitation at Jantar Mantar to “extreme brutality”, including the use of AK-47s in Siwan, and questioned the role of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The allegations were made at a press conference after fact-finding teams of the Congress submitted reports on police action against students in different parts of Bihar to the party leadership.

The teams visited affected districts and met students, victims, members of the administration and the media.

Congress in-charge of Bihar Krishna Allavaru alleged that the police had conducted midnight raids, arrested students and unleashed a “reign of terror” in an attempt to break their morale.

In Siwan, AK-47s were used against protesting youth, injuring three students, including one who suffered a bullet injury to the neck and another to the shoulder, he claimed.

“On whose instructions was the AK-47 used?” Mr. Allavaru asked, questioning whether the orders had come from the Bihar Chief Minister or the Union Home Minister.

Mr. Allavaru questioned the use of such weapons against civilians, saying they were meant to be used against terrorists.

Exam fees

The Congress also raised the issue of examination fees. Mr. Allavaru said students in Bihar said if an industrial group could be given 1,000 acres of land on an annual lease of ₹1, why could recruitment examination fees not also be fixed at ₹1?

Students, he said, were required to pay between ₹500 and ₹850 for each examination, he said.

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi alleged that students continued to be hounded over old cases despite a State government notification that cases against them would be withdrawn.

He said the fact-finding teams, constituted under the direction of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, had assured affected students of legal assistance.

Published - August 10, 2026 09:45 pm IST