ABVP protest in Patna turns violent

Police opened fire in the air and resorted to a baton charge on Thursday to disperse ABVP members who pelted stones at the police during a protest near the Bihar assembly here against the deteriorating education system, officials said.

Following the police action against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists, over a dozen BJP legislators staged a protest outside the assembly. Some BJP legislators also clashed with the police but were calmed down by their colleagues.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators also raised the issue in the assembly and blamed the police for the violence by the ABVP members.

Over four dozen policemen, ABVP members and some media persons were injured in the violence. In view of the tension additional security forces have been deployed to keep the protesters in control, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Rana said.

The protest turned violent when ABVP activists with saffron flags in their hands started pelting stones at the police and later broke open a gate of R-Block near the state assembly.

"Police resorted to baton charge and opened fire in the air to disperse ABVP members," a district official said.

Nearly 100 ABVP members have been detained for attacking police and violating Section 144 near the Bihar assembly.

Later some ABVP activists, angered at the police action, attacked members of the public, targeted vehicles and tried to ransack some shops in different parts of Patna.

"ABVP members also looted fruit vendors and attacked shops near the Patna railway station," police said.