Dozens of people, including policemen, suffered injuries in the Indian state of Bihar on Tuesday when supporters of the state's opposition party RJD clashed with law enforcement during a protest over unemployment and other issues.
Police used water cannons and baton charged as the crowd allegedly started hurling stones. However, videos of the protest site show the policemen too hurling stones at the protesters.
Tejashwi Yadav led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had earlier announced that youths would encircle the legislative assembly to protest against rising unemployment, corruption, inflation, and several other burning issues in Bihar.
The local administration denied RJD permission to carry out its plans around the Bihar Assembly that is currently in session.
But a large number of RJD workers gathered and marched towards the assembly. The protest turned violent after the RJD workers were joined by their party's two main leaders - Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, and his brother Tej Pratap Yadav.
वाह बिहार पुलिस हमारे निहत्थे कार्यकर्तावो पर पानी और लाठी की बौछार कम थी....
— Zishan Ali Laddu (@zishanAliRJD) March 23, 2021
जो अब पत्थर भी चला रहे हो...
ये दमन कारी सरकार अब अपने आखरी दिन गिन रही है! #Tejashwi_WithYouth @yadavtejashwi @sanjuydv @OfficialAaKu @RJDforIndia pic.twitter.com/XQO4TgGhU7
The police attempted to stop the protesters by erecting barricades. But things turned ugly as the protesters clashed with the police.
RJD leader @yadavtejashwi and @TejYadav14 taken into custody after a pitched battle between RJD workers and Police at the heart of #Patna #Bihar pic.twitter.com/sCwDFOLoSE
— Alok Kumar (@dmalok) March 23, 2021
Several protesters continued creating a ruckus, damaging public property, breaking the windows of vehicles parked on the roads.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who courted arrest along with his brother Tej Pratap Yadav, was taken to a police van after his arrest. He had to climb down from the van and appeal to the clashing supporters to put an end to the violence, local media reported.
The party leader, who also suffered minor injuries, tweeted his anger, and termed Bihar chief Nitish Kumar "a blot on society".
नीतीश कुमार समाजवाद के नाम पर कलंक है। धब्बा है। लोहिया जयंती के दिन सड़क पर हमारे साथ नौकरी माँग रहे बेरोजगारों पर लाठीचार्ज और पत्थरबाज़ी करवाते है। और उसी दिन सदन में काला पुलिसया क़ानून लेकर आते है।
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 23, 2021
हम इनकी गुंडागर्दी नहीं चलने देंगे। चलाओ गोली मर्द हो तो..
