Bihar protests: FIR registered against Prashant Kishor, Jan Suraaj party workers

On Wednesday, the police stopped Jan Suraaj workers from marching towards the Assembly, triggering a clash between party workers and security forces.

The Patna police have registered an FIR against 300 individuals, including Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor, party spokesperson Vivek and state president Manoj Bharti for gathering without authorisation, instigating people and creating law and order situation in Patna during the party’s demonstration outside the Vidhan Sabha, the police said on Thursday.

Patna police detain Jan Suraaj Party president Prashant Kishor and his supporters during a demonstration in Patna on July 23. (Santosh Kumar/ HT Photo)

The FIR, lodged at the Sachivalaya police station, was filed under sections 191 (2), 190, 132, 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, following a scuffle between the protesters and the police and over the violation of a prohibitory order.

On Wednesday, the police stopped Jan Suraaj workers from marching towards the Assembly, triggering a clash between party workers and security forces.

Kishor had earlier said he would gherao the Assembly over various issues, including jobs, land rights, and “corruption” in the state land survey process. Following his call for protest, a large number of Jan Suraaj party workers gathered in Patna and marched towards the Assembly.

Police tried to stop them near the Chitkohra roundabout, but protesters attempted to force their way towards the Assembly, leading to a confrontation. As the situation escalated and protesters did not pay heed to repeated warnings, the police resorted to lathi-charge. Several workers were injured in the altercation.

Authorities claimed that no legal clearance was taken for the gathering, and the FIR accuses Kishor of attempting to incite public unrest and destabilise the civic environment. Law enforcement agencies are reviewing CCTV footage and video evidence from the protest site to identify specific violations and the perpetrators.

City SP (Central) Diksha confirmed that an FIR was registered with the Sachivalaya police station on the basis of the statement of the deputed magistrate.