A bus set on fire by the mob at Bairiya in Muzaffarpur on Sunday. Picture by Gopiraman Mishra

Muzaffarpur, Dec. 4: The death of a 13-year-old boy in a road accident today resulted in clashes between protesters and police, prompting the latter to fire in the air.

Sources said the security personnel were forced to fire to disperse a mob that set fire to three buses and a mini truck after a bus hit Abhishek Kumar, 13, and his brother Vicky Kumar, 15.

Abhishek and Vicky were on their way to a coaching institute, when the private bus from Motihari hit them near Bairiya roundabout under Ahiyapur police station. Abhishek, who was riding pillion, died on the spot. Vicky has been admitted to a hospital and is fighting for his life.

The driver of the bus managed to flee. Immediately after the accident, hundreds of residents from Kolhuwaand Bairiya came out on the streets in protest against rash driving. They set fire to three buses and a mini truck.

A team, led by city deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Baccha Singh and sever al station house officers, rushed to the spot to control the mob. However, they had to retreat several times as the protest had snowballed into a pitched fight.

The protesters pelted stones on the policemen. The cops responded with lathicharge. They had to resort firing in the air to disperse the mob.

Muzaffarpur senior superintendent of police Rajesh Kumar told The Telegraph: “Police had to fire in self defence. Around 10 personnel were injured.”

Several protesters were also injured in the clash.

Later, Rajesh and DSP (headquarters) Manish Kumar visited the spot to take stock of the situation. FIRs have been lodged against the erring bus driver and also the mob.