Students’ protest spread outside

PATNA - The often-violent agitation of students for the past two days here against what they have termed fleecing by private coaching institutes continued for the third day Thursday and spread to other towns and cities of Bihar.

They were supported by opposition parties, particularly the Lok Janshakti Party’s (LJP) students wing, which observed a black day across the state Thursday.

The protests Thursday spread to several districts, including Chapra, Darbhanga and Nalanda. Mobs of students blocked roads and tore banners and posters of coaching institutes. They also shouted slogans against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and burnt his effigies.

In Patna, the LJP’s students wing took out a protest march and demanded compensation of Rs.10 lakh for the family of Sachin Sharma, who was killed in firing by a security guard of a coaching centre Tuesday.

Several other students were injured in clashes with police Tuesday as over 1,000 students went on rampage, protesting fleecing by the coaching institutes.

According to police sources, police staged a flag march to maintain law and order in Nalanda, home district of Sharma. Nalanda is also the home district of Nitish Kumar.

The state government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs.1.5 lakh for Sharma’s family.

Nitish Kumar has ordered Patna District Magistrate Jitendra Prasad to probe allegations of malpractices against coaching institutes and assured students that action would be taken against these institutes if they are found guilty.