On Monday, a frenzied mob of students attacked Municipality officials and police personnel for implementing the government’s directive of shutting down private coaching centres in the Gaurakshani locality of the Sasaram district of Bihar.
As per reports, the incident took place on the backdrop of the government’s decision to shut down schools, colleges and private coaching centres till April 11, in light of the rising Coronavirus cases. When the officials from the Municipal Corporation went to implement the Bihar government’s diktat in Gaurakshani locality, they were hounded and chased by a large group of students.
The clash turned ugly so much so that the market had to be closed down. The students broke the vehicle of officer Abhishek Anand. Fortunately, Municipality officials managed to escape unhurt. Several students also burnt down many private and police vehicles. They vandalised 2 police stations, actively participated in arson and damaged government properties. They also managed to enter the District Collectorate, destroyed its shed and lay siege to Sasaram-Ara State Highway.
Unbelievable scenes from Bihar:
— Zeba Warsi (@Zebaism) April 5, 2021
Violence breaks out as agitated students attack officials for shutting down coaching centres in Sasaram, Bihar.
Centres were being shut as part of #Covid19 protocols in the wake of rising cases.
9 rioting students arrested. Story on @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/c4GAwiYNVD
Following the attack, a large team of the police force was deployed to bring the law and order situation under control. The cops resorted to lathi-charge and firing tear gas shells to combat the frenzied crowd. The Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate has taken cognisance of the matter. The police have arrested 9 miscreants so far. While no casualties have been reported so far, three police personnel including the Station-in-charge of Sasaram Nagar Police Station Kamakhya Narayan Singh were injured in stone-pelting.
Officials in Bihar’s Sasaram try to shut down coaching centres, get beaten up by agitated students pic.twitter.com/pgZodQ8PGd
— Newsd (@GetNewsd) April 5, 2021
Private coaching centres in Bihar miffed at the government’s decision
The decision of the Bihar government to shut down private coaching centres has drawn the ire of the owners of the institutes. They have argued that if the government could keep malls and cinema halls open, then, they must make such exceptions for coaching centres as well. “With the discontinuation of coaching, the academic future of the students will be destroyed. Right now the examinations are going on. In such a situation, the coaching centres should be allowed to operate by following all precautions,” they remarked.
On Sunday, several coaching institutes announced on Sunday that they would remain operational, in spite of the government’s directives. The Patna administration has clamped down strictly on such centres. District Magistrate of Patna, Chandrasekhar, warned that any institute found violating/defying government orders will have a First Information Report (FIR) registered against them.