Bihar government transferred Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha as part of a major reshuffle involving 17 IPS officers.
Bharat Soni has been appointed the new Siwan SP, while Jha has been placed on the waiting list.
The reshuffle comes amid controversy over AK-47 firing during a student protest in Siwan.
Bihar IPS Reshuffle: Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha Transferred Amid AK-47 Firing Row
Bihar government transfers Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha as part of a 17-IPS reshuffle following controversy over AK-47 firing during a student protest
Summary
The Bihar government has transferred Siwan Superintendent of Police Puran Kumar Jha and the Bhojpur SP in a major reshuffle of 17 senior Indian Police Service officers on Tuesday
Bharat Soni has replaced Jha, who is now on the waiting list for a new posting. A government circular stated that Awadesh Dikshit has been appointed the new Bhojpur SP.
The transfers follow a July 25 student protest where a constable allegedly fired an AK-47. The police have suspended Constable Abhishek Kumar, who allegedly fired the rifle during the protest.
State Defends Police Action
The Bihar government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court defending police actions during protests associated with the Cockroach Janta Party-led movement in New Delhi.
The affidavit stated that protesters surrounded Kumar near JP Chowk in Siwan on July 25. The state informed the Supreme Court that he "got trapped in the crowd" and fired four rounds from his AK-47 "in the air". The government stated that this firing caused no injuries, maintaining that the police exercised restraint and did not use disproportionate force.
The state acknowledged that three protesters suffered minor firearm injuries that day but disputed any connection to Kumar's AK-47. The affidavit stated that the injured individuals were at a different location.
During the protest, Assistant Sub-Inspector Nilesh Kumar Singh allegedly fired two rounds from his 9mm pistol near Hathi Chowk to disperse the crowd, the affidavit stated.
Opposition Questions Weapon Allocation
Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav questioned the deployment of the weapon.
Yadav questioned how a constable deployed during a student protest obtained an AK-47 and which unit or armoury issued it. The RJD leader also asked who authorised the weapon and whether the complete command chain involved in allocating a modern weapon should be examined.
The transfer of the Bhojpur SP follows public outcry over the encounter of local activist Bharat Tiwari.
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