Patna: A massive turnout for the army recruitment rally in Danapur, Bihar, led to chaos on Saturday, with thousands of candidates exceeding the venue’s capacity. Despite efforts by police and army officials to manage the situation, tensions escalated, resulting in a ruckus and reports of stone-pelting.
The recruitment process, catering to 38 districts, drew an estimated 25,000–30,000 candidates to the Danapur Army Centre. The ground quickly reached its capacity, leaving many candidates stranded outside at Sainik Chowk and surrounding areas, including Company Bagh and the bus stand, which were overcrowded since Friday evening.
As candidates who were unable to participate in the race began protesting, security personnel struggled to maintain order. Police were accused of using lathis to disperse the crowd, although City SP (West) SR Sarath denied any lathi charge, asserting that the situation was brought under control peacefully.
Officials from the Army’s recruitment headquarters and the Bihar-Jharkhand sub-area headquarters were present to oversee the physical tests. However, as the crowd’s frustration grew, some candidates resorted to stone-pelting, prompting police to intervene and restore order.
SP Sarath confirmed the incident, stating, “There was no lathi charge. The situation is under control, and candidates have been informed about the capacity limitations.”
