BPSC exam row: Hours after being arrested by the Patna Police, Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor was granted bail on Monday amid the ongoing Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination protests in the state's capital. The bail was granted by the civil court. Kishor was protesting with a five-point demand when the police intervened, removed him from the site, and arrested him.
According to Jan Suraj’s press release, police forcibly took Kishor to the hospital. Allegations also surfaced claiming that police slapped him, and one supporter accused the authorities of throwing away his spectacles. Videos related to the incident have also circulated online.
District Administration’s Statement
The district administration clarified that Kishor and others were protesting "unlawfully" at Gandhi Maidan, which is a restricted area. They were notified to shift their protest to the designated site in Gardanibagh, but they did not comply. An FIR was lodged at Gandhi Maidan police station against Kishor and his supporters for violating the law. Despite repeated requests and ample time, the protest site was not vacated, prompting the administration to take action, the district administration added.
"Jan Suraaj Party's Prashant Kishor and some other people were illegally protesting in front of the Gandhi statue in the restricted area of Gandhi Maidan, Patna, for their five-point demands. The administration had issued a notice to move from there to the designated place, Gardanibagh, for the protest," Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said.
Prashant Kishor's hunger strike
It should be mentioned here that Kishor had been observing the hunger strike since January 2, supporting students demanding the cancellation of the BPSC exam following allegations of a question paper leak. Meanwhile, following Kishor's arrest, tensions escalated in the area as a clash broke out between police and supporters of Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor. Kishor's arrest triggered widespread condemnation from his supporters, who accused the government of attempting to silence the protest out of fear of the unity Kishor had fostered among the masses.
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