Bihar News : The Bihar bandh called on Saturday by the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) over the alleged NEET paper leak, the demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and the police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and Patna, had little impact in Siwan district.
Thanks to strict administrative measures and extensive security arrangements made in advance, normal life remained largely unaffected. Government offices, private institutions, markets, and public transport functioned as usual throughout the day.
On Friday evening, District Magistrate Vivek Ranjan Maitreya and Superintendent of Police Puran Kumar Jha conducted a flag march across the town with armed security personnel to send a strong message on maintaining law and order. The preventive measures were reflected in the peaceful situation on Saturday.
Around 9 a.m., AISA and RYA leaders and supporters gathered at JP Chowk, where they briefly blocked the road and raised slogans. After receiving information about the protest, SP Puran Kumar Jha reached the spot and appealed to the demonstrators to clear the road and avoid disrupting public movement.
A brief verbal exchange took place between the protesters and police officials, creating a tense atmosphere for some time. However, following the police’s firm intervention, the protesters vacated the road and continued their demonstration from the roadside, allowing traffic to resume normally.
Later, a large number of students assembled at JP Chowk and raised slogans against the government, demanding a fair investigation into the alleged NEET paper leak, the resignation of the Union Education Minister, and action against those responsible for the police crackdown on student protesters.
Despite the bandh call, there was no significant disruption anywhere in the city. Markets remained open, vehicles continued to operate, and residents carried on with their daily routine without interruption. The district administration remained on high alert throughout the day, with adequate police deployment to prevent any untoward incidents.
