Bihar Police bans AK-47, INSAS, SLR rifles for crowd control duties
Synopsis
Bihar Police has barred AK-47s, INSAS rifles, and SLRs from routine crowd-control duties — a directive triggered by the controversial Siwan student protest firing on 25 July, where a constable shot without orders and was suspended. With the RJD's Raj Bhavan March set for 19 August, the political pressure on the Bihar government is building fast.
Key Takeaways
Bihar Police Headquarters on 13 August 2025 banned AK-47s , INSAS rifles , and SLRs from routine crowd-control and law-and-order duties.
DGP Vinay Kumar reiterated the standing order to all district Superintendents of Police , warning of disciplinary action for non-compliance.
Assault weapons are now restricted to operations involving organised crime , insurgency , and terrorism .
The directive follows a 25 July incident in Siwan where a constable allegedly fired without orders during a student protest and was subsequently suspended.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has announced an August 19 Raj Bhavan March in Patna demanding accountability over the Siwan firing.
The Bihar Police Headquarters on 13 August 2025 issued fresh directives barring police personnel from carrying or deploying highly lethal assault weapons — including AK-47s, INSAS rifles, and SLRs — during routine law-and-order and crowd-control operations. The order, reiterated by Director General of Police Vinay Kumar to all district Superintendents of Police, aims to ensure that force deployed at protests and demonstrations remains proportionate.
What the Directive Says
Under the new instructions, automatic and assault weapons are restricted exclusively to operations involving organised crime, insurgency, terrorism, and other serious criminal threats. Police personnel assigned to ordinary demonstrations and routine public-order situations will not be permitted to carry these weapons under any circumstances.
According to ADG (Police Headquarters) Sunil Kumar, a standing order on the matter was already in place. DGP Vinay Kumar has now directed district police chiefs to ensure strict compliance, and the department has previously taken disciplinary action against personnel who used such weapons without authorisation.
The Siwan Incident That Triggered the Review
The directive comes amid sustained controversy over a 25 July student protest incident in Siwan, during which a police constable allegedly opened fire without orders. ADG (Law and Order) K.S. Anupam confirmed that the constable had received no instruction to fire and had acted entirely on his own initiative. 'There was no order, and he fired at his own discretion. He was not even part of the crowd-control team,' Anupam said. The constable was suspended immediately after the incident.
Notably, the constable was not part of the designated crowd-control unit deployed at the protest — a detail that has sharpened questions about command accountability within Bihar Police.
Political Fallout and RJD Response
The Siwan firing has become a significant political flashpoint in Bihar. Leader of the Opposition and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has repeatedly demanded accountability over the police action against protesting students. The RJD has announced an August 19 Raj Bhavan March in Patna, with Tejashwi Yadav expected to lead party MLAs, MLCs, and workers to press their demands.
Broader Significance
The Bihar directive reflects a wider national conversation on police use of force during civilian protests. Restricting assault rifles to counter-insurgency and anti-terror operations — rather than crowd management — aligns with standard guidelines recommended by policing reform bodies, though critics argue that implementation and accountability mechanisms remain the true test. With the RJD's 19 August march approaching, pressure on the Bihar government over the Siwan episode is unlikely to ease soon.
Point of View
Which means the constable's unauthorised firing happened despite existing guidelines, not in their absence. That gap between written policy and ground-level compliance is the real problem Bihar Police has not yet addressed. With the RJD march on 19 August, this is as much a political fire-fighting exercise as a policing one. The harder question — why a constable not assigned to the crowd-control team was present and armed at a student protest — remains unanswered.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What weapons has Bihar Police banned for crowd control?
Bihar Police has banned AK-47s, INSAS rifles, and SLRs from being carried or used during routine law-and-order and crowd-control operations. These weapons are now restricted to operations involving organised crime, insurgency, and terrorism.
Why did Bihar Police issue this directive now?
The directive follows the 25 July student protest incident in Siwan, where a police constable allegedly opened fire without orders. The constable was not part of the designated crowd-control team and was suspended immediately after the incident.
Was there already a rule against using assault weapons at protests?
Yes. ADG Sunil Kumar confirmed that a standing order on the matter was already in place. DGP Vinay Kumar has now reiterated that order to all district Superintendents of Police, emphasising strict compliance and warning of disciplinary action.
What is the RJD doing in response to the Siwan protest firing?
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has announced an August 19 Raj Bhavan March in Patna to demand accountability over the police action against students. Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav is expected to lead party MLAs, MLCs, and workers at the march.
Who is responsible for the Siwan firing, according to police?
ADG (Law and Order) K.S. Anupam stated that the constable who fired had received no order to do so and acted entirely on his own discretion. He was not part of the crowd-control team and was suspended immediately after the incident.
