According to reports, Bihar police lathi charged people protesting against the domicile policy of teachers' recruitment in the state. Vijay Kumar Singh, BJP general secretary of Jehanabad district, who was participating in the protest, was assaulted brutally by the Patna police. He sustained injuries on his head and chest and died during treatment in a hospital.

The BJP has alleged that Singh was killed in police brutality, while the police have denied the allegation. An investigation is underway. The incident has sparked outrage among the BJP and its supporters. The party has called for a statewide bandh to protest Singh's death.

The domicile policy, which was announced by the Bihar government in March, requires candidates to have studied in Bihar for at least five years to be eligible for government jobs in the state. The policy has been met with protests from students and other groups, who argue that it discriminates against non-Biharis. The incident is the latest in a series of protests against the domicile policy. In April, a student was killed in police firing during a protest in Patna.

The domicile policy is a sensitive issue in Bihar, which has a large migrant population. The policy has been criticized by some as being discriminatory, while others argue that it is necessary to protect the interests of local residents. The investigation into Singh's death is ongoing. It is unclear whether he was killed by police brutality or whether he died from injuries sustained during the protest.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi confirmed Singh's death due to police lathi-charge, “Vijay Kumar Singh, the general secretary of our party’s Jehanabad district was assaulted so severely that he sustained serious injuries. He was taken to Tara nursing home where he succumbed during the treatment. After his death, he was taken to PMCH."

"Singh's sacrifice will not go in vain, we will take this fight to a logical conclusion,” Modi said.

The Patna district administration said in a statement that Vijay Kumar Singh, a resident of Jehanabad district, was found lying unconscious on the roadside.

"No injury marks have been found on his body," said the statement adding that Singh has been taken to PMCH, the state's largest government hospital.

Nonetheless, rumours were aflutter that Singh, who had come here to join the "Vidhan Sabha march" against the Nitish Kumar government's teacher recruitment policy, had died.

"Arrested by Bihar police in Patna, Jehanabad district GS Vijay Kumar Singh died in brutal police lathi charge", senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted.

BJP president JP Nadda tweeted that the lathi charge on BJP workers in Patna was a result of the state government's failure and insensitivity.

“The Grand Alliance government is attacking democracy to save the citadel of corruption. To save the person who has been charge-sheeted, the chief minister of Bihar has even forgotten his morality,” he said.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan wondered if Bihar is currently under an “undeclared emergency”.

He tweeted, “In the arrogance of power, the chief minister's police took the life of an unarmed BJP worker fighting for the rights and rights of Biharis... if this is not an undeclared emergency in Bihar then what else is?”

Image source: ET