Parts of Bihar experienced brief but significant traffic disruptions as demonstrators staged blockades in support of a Bharat Bandh organized by various groups protesting community-based reservation issues. The protesters caused significant delays by blocking train services at Darbhanga and Buxar railway stations, halting Bihar Sampark Kranti and Farakka Express trains. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and district police intervened to clear the stations and restore normal operations. East Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Sharswati Chandra, reported that while rail traffic was disrupted in several locations including Ara and Begusarai, order was quickly restored.
In Patna, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse protesters who had blocked traffic at Dak Bungalow Chowk. Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra confirmed that no injuries were reported and the situation was under control. Similar actions were taken in Jehanabad, where agitators clashed with security forces on National Highway-83, resulting in five detentions.
Bharat Bandh: Further Traffic Disruptions
Protests also affected traffic in Madhepura, Muzaffarpur, Saran, and Purnea, where demonstrators attempted to block roads and burn tires. Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan, known as Pappu Yadav, led demonstrations against a recent Supreme Court ruling permitting sub-categorization within SC/ST reservations. Yadav accused the NDA government of undermining reservation policies.
Despite the protests, recruitment exams for Bihar Police and other units continued as planned, with authorities ensuring that candidates could reach their test centers.
The Bharat Bandh, supported by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other members of the INDIA bloc, was organized by twenty-one organizations nationwide. They condemned the Supreme Court’s August 1 decision on SC-ST reservations, claiming it threatens the fundamental principles of affirmative action.
(With PTI Inputs)