Prashant Kishore, the founder of the Jan Suraj Party, was forcibly taken into custody by Patna Police late at night while he was on a hunger strike advocating for the cancellation of the 70th preliminary examination conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).
Removed from the hunger strike site!
The Jan Suraj Party has accused the police of using excessive force against Kishore, claiming that he was slapped during the incident. Reports indicate that he was removed from the hunger strike site and transported to Patna AIIMS for a health assessment. Meanwhile, a violent confrontation erupted between the police and Kishore’s supporters.
Supporters quickly surrounded him
As the police attempted to arrest Kishore, his supporters quickly surrounded him, leading to a significant clash between both parties. Despite the resistance, the police succeeded in taking him into custody. Videos capturing the altercation between the police and the demonstrators have since gone viral on social media.
Hunger strike in Gandhi Maidan
Kishore had been staging his hunger strike beneath the Gandhi statue in Gandhi Maidan, Patna, since January 2, demanding the annulment of the 70th preliminary examination held on December 13. Although the BPSC has announced a re-examination for select candidates from the December 13 test, the examination has been embroiled in controversy due to allegations of a question paper leak.
#WATCH | BPSC protest | Bihar: Patna Police detained Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor who was sitting on an indefinite hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan pic.twitter.com/JQ7Fm7wAoR
— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2025
On Saturday, the re-examination took place at 22 centers in Patna. Of the 12,012 candidates registered, approximately 8,111 had downloaded their admit cards. However, only 5,943 students attended the re-examination on January 4. The BPSC released a statement indicating that the re-examination was carried out smoothly at all locations, with no reports of malpractice or disruptions.