Patna Police file FIRs against BPSC agitators, teachers, and social media handlers over alleged provocation

On allegations of provocation, spreading rumors, and causing difficulty for law and order, the Patna police filed separate First Information Reports (FIRs) against unnamed individuals at the Sachivalaya and Gardanibagh police stations against Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) agitators, teachers, coaching facility owners, and social media handlers.

Since Dec 20, a number of candidates have been fasting to death at Gardanibagh, calling for a reexamination of the Dec 13, 70th Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination.

Anu Kumari, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) for Sachivalaya, said on Dec 26 that the majority of the agitators are not candidates.

They disrupt law and order, incite aspirants, and spread rumors, including coaching owners Chandan Priye of Perfection GS, Pravin Kumar of Kautilya GS, student leader Dilip Kumar, Sunami GS Guru (Sujit), Ramansu Classes (Ramansu Kumar), and Gyan Bindu GS Classes (Raushan Anand), and many more.

The DSP also said that on Dec 23, a group of people broke into Gardanibagh Hospital, allegedly ransacked the facility, and assaulted doctors and staff.

“On Wednesday, the agitators came from Gardanibagh and gathered at the BPSC Office at Nehru Path, which is a restricted zone, staged a protest, and blocked vehicular traffic,” she added.

Following the filing of the FIRs, police arrested Rohit Kumar, a tutor from Delhi, on suspicion of inciting aspirants who attempted to "storm into" the BPSC office.

According to Patna District Magistrate Chandrasekhar Singh, preliminary investigations into protests of Dec 25 revealed that Kumar organized and incited the aspirants.

Social media users shared videos of the police action against applicants, some of which showed officers chasing and assaulting protesters, including women.

“Investigations have revealed that Rohit had come from Delhi and brought along a number of persons, including girls, posing as disgruntled BPSC aspirants. He is being examined by the investigators," said Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajeev Mishra.

"We are looking into the broader conspiracy that led to the Dec 25 incident. The source of their money is also being looked into because they appear to be a part of it," he added.

SSP continued, "Our investigation also aims to determine the source of money for those who traveled from outside the state to recruit BPSC candidates. It appears that Rohit was the driving force behind the Dec 25 protest.

In order to look into their funding source, Patna Police will submit a first report to the Economic Offenses Unit (EOU).

Alleging anomalies in the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination, candidates protested outside the BPSC office on Dec 25 and demanded a re-examination.

Hours after the BPSC candidates were lathicharged, Manoj Bharti, the president of the Jan Suraaj Party, met with them at the protest location to offer his party's support for the reexamination of the preliminary exam, which was the primary demand of the agitated candidates.

He said that such situations may also be avoided in the future if the government agreed to the proposal.

He said the BPSC should decide to retake the preliminary exam as soon as feasible and offered his party's full support to the demands of the candidates.

The police operation was denounced by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress.

Denouncing the lathi charge on BPSC aspirants by police, RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “They shouldn't have done this. It's wrong.”

If the Dec 13 exam is not cancelled, Purnea Member of Parliament (MP) Pappu Yadav threatened to call for a Bihar bandh on Jan 1.

At the Bapu examination center in Patna, candidates claimed that there was a paper leak and other irregularities, such as disruptions brought on by the test's delayed start time.

The Bapu Centre exam was cancelled by BPSC, while tests conducted at all other Bihar centres would remain unaffected.

According to BPSC officials, a new exam would only be given to applicants from the Bapu center.

Earlier, Parmar Ravi Manubhai, the chairman of the BPSC, denied allegations of a paper leak at the preliminary Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, which was conducted in Patna's Bapu Pariksha Bhavan on Dec 13.

Over 4 lakh candidates took the test, which was conducted at 912 locations throughout the state.

Several Bapu Pariksha Bhavan candidates said they did not receive their question papers on time, and others accused the exam of being rigged and unfair.

Amidst the confusion, a video of Singh, the DM of Patna, smacking a candidate who was protesting outside the center went viral on social media.