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As protests by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants, demanding a re-examination of the 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), escalated in Patna on Sunday, the police responded with a lathi charge and the use of water cannons. Patna Central SP, IPS Sweety Sahrawat, found herself at the forefront of managing the tense situation. The protests, triggered by allegations of irregularities in the December 13 exam, reached a boiling point on Sunday, prompting the police to take action to control the crowd.
Thousands of BPSC aspirants gathered at Gandhi Maidan and marched towards JP Golambar, with the police being deployed in large numbers to handle the escalating unrest. The police operation was led by Ms Sahrawat, who has been at the helm of Patna Central since earlier this year.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, SP City Sweety Sahrawat said, "We requested the protesting students to vacate the site, but they didn't listen to us. We also told them that they could put forward their demands, and we were ready to listen. However, they pushed us, after which we used water cannons on them..."
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar | SP City Sweety Sahrawat says, "We requested the students protesting to vacate the place but they didn't listen to us...We also said that they can put forward their demands, we are ready to listen to them...They also pushed us after which we used water… https://t.co/3ilO7ZutAz pic.twitter.com/yMAeh5Cg6y
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2024
Who is IPS officer Sweety Sahrawat?
IPS Sweety Sahrawat, a Bihar cadre officer, is an alumna of Delhi Technological University, where she earned her BTech degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Before joining the Indian Police Service, Ms Sahrawat worked as a design engineer. However, she chose to follow her father's dream of her becoming a civil servant, which led her to quit her engineering career and prepare for the UPSC exams.
Ms Sahrawat cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) in 2019 with an All India Rank (AIR) of 187, fulfilling her late father's aspiration of seeing her in a prestigious administrative role. She was previously posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Aurangabad, Bihar, before being appointed Patna Central SP. She is native of Aurangabad district.
Handling the BPSC Protests
During the BPSC protests, Sahrawat was seen leading her team in the face of mounting tensions. As the situation turned violent, with protesters clashing with the police, she made the decision to use force, including a lathi-charge and water cannons, to control the crowd. Notably, a brief exchange of words occurred between her and political leader Prashant Kishor during the protest, after which Kishor left the scene.
In September 2023, a video of Sweety Sahrawat went viral on social media, showing her in a conversation with former Kerala Governor and retired IPS officer Nikhil Kumar. Kumar had met her regarding the rising incidents of theft. During the interaction, Sweety Sahrawat was heard stating, "I do not meet anyone at home. There is something called privacy."