One killed, Patna students vandalise coaching centres (Third Lead)

PATNA - One student died of critical injuries when a coaching centre security guard opened fire here while half a dozen others were injured in clashes with police Tuesday as over 1,000 students rampaged to protest alleged fleecing by the coaching institutes in the city.

The incident occurred when some students assembled at the Bazar Samiti locality here and then gathering mobs spread to congested Khazanchi Road, Naya Tola, B.M. Das Road and Bhikhna Pahari areas where most of the coaching institutes are located.

The angry students blocked roads, threw stones, set ablaze some vehicles at Khazanchi Road and Naya Tola, and vandalised properties of many institutes, demanding closure of such centres that charge steep fees but fail to even complete the courses on time.

The security guard of one of the coaching centres fired at the students, injuring one of them critically, who later died, police said.

“A student died after he was injured in firing by a security guard of a coaching institute here. He was admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital for treatment,” a police official said.

Initially, it was rumoured that the gun shot was fired by police, which gave a fillip to the protest.

According to police, students clashed with them after the firing incident, forcing them to lob tear-gas shells and resort to baton charge to disperse the mobs.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered Patna District Magistrate Jitendra Prasad to probe the allegations against coaching institutes and assured students that action would be taken against these institutes if they are found guilty. He also directed the human resource development officials to look into the issue.

Nitish Kumar also appealed to the students to maintain peace and avoid violent protest.

“In the evening, Nitish Kumar held a high-level meeting with top officials in this connection,” an official source in the Chief Minister’s Office said.

“The coaching institutes have cheated us. Our plus-two exams are due from early March but the courses have not been completed even though we had paid the full money in advance,” said Vikram Kumar Singh, one of the protesting students.

Another student, Shakil Ansari, said that coaching institutes in Patna are minting money in the name of providing help to students. “They have nothing to do with education, it is a totally commercial venture to dupe students,” Ansari said.

Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Congress leaders condemned the police action against students and criticized the state government for promoting private coaching institutes to exploit students.