Lagatar24 Desk
Patna: In an unusual incident during the Bharat Bandh on Wednesday, Patna SDM Shrikant Kundlik Khandekar was inadvertently struck by a policeman during a lathi-charge aimed at controlling protestors in the city. The incident, which occurred at the busy Dak Bangla square, quickly went viral after being captured on video.
The footage shows the SDM, dressed in civilian clothes, being hit by a policeman who was unaware of Khandekar’s identity. Taken aback by the sudden strike, Khandekar is seen reacting to the blow as the officer is promptly pulled aside by his colleagues, who inform him of the mistake. The policeman is then seen apologizing to the SDM, and the two engage in a brief conversation to resolve the situation.
SDM was in civil dress, Bihar Police beat him thinking he was a protestor.🤦🏻♂️😂
Hope he doesn't lose his job…
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) August 21, 2024
The lathi-charge was part of the police’s efforts to manage the crowd after protestors, who had broken through barricades at the JP Golambar intersection, converged on Dak Bangla square. The security forces also deployed water cannons in an attempt to disperse the agitated crowd.
The Bharat Bandh, a nationwide strike, has seen varied responses across the country, with significant impact in states like Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The bandh was organized by the ‘Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti’ in protest against an August 1 Supreme Court ruling. The court’s decision, delivered by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, allowed for the further sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) by state governments to ensure quota benefits for more backward castes within these groups.
The organizers of the bandh are demanding that the central government reject the ruling and reverse the judgment. Their list of demands includes the enactment of a new parliamentary act on reservations, the release of caste-based data on SC/ST/OBC employees in central government jobs, ensuring 50% representation for these groups in the higher judiciary, and the immediate filling of backlog vacancies in government and public sector jobs.
