After a video of police firing an AK-47 rifle during a student protest in Siwan, Bihar, India, went viral on social media, the police officer involved in the incident has been suspended.

Siwan Superintendent of Police Puran Kumar Jha said on Monday that the officer, who was stationed at the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), has been suspended. Jha also stated that departmental action has been initiated against him.

The video shows a police officer firing an AK-47.

A few days ago, various student organizations staged protests in Bihar in solidarity with the agitation led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) against the leak of question papers for the NEET and other entrance exams. During these protests, violent clashes broke out between police and students in Siwan, Patna, and other areas.

During the crackdown in Siwan, police used tear gas and baton-charged the crowd to disperse them. There were also reports of stone-pelting, and it is claimed that three students were injured by police gunfire.

However, SP Jha said that an investigation is underway to determine whether the injured were shot by police or by protesters. He stated that some anti-social elements mixed with the protesters and fired at the police, forcing them to retaliate in self-defense.

Opposition parties have strongly criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state over the viral video and police crackdown. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition, said the state is becoming increasingly harsh towards students. "The government is becoming extremely cruel towards students. Pellets were used in Delhi and an AK-47 in Bihar. Whether it is Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, or Delhi—the pattern is the same everywhere," he said.