Bihar Police Issues Advisory On Rifle Use After AK-47 Fired At Students
Bihar Police has issued new guidelines restricting the use of assault rifles like AK-47s for crowd control following public backlash over their use during student protests. The policy mandates that such weapons be used only as a last resort in critical situations.
Why it matters
The policy change addresses concerns regarding police brutality and the proportionality of force in democratic protests.
Facing severe criticism from the Opposition and a section of civil society for using AK-47s during student protests in Siwan in July, the Bihar Police has framed new rules for the use of assault rifles.The police have issued an advisory stating that weapons like AK-47s, INSAS rifles, and Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs) will not be used routinely for crowd control during protests. Instead, they will only be deployed in extremely critical situations.A police constable was seen allegedly firing an AK-47 in a viral video during the protest against question paper leaks in July.The Bihar police headquarters has clarified that heavy weapons should be used as a last resort.
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