A policeman tries to pacify the mob in Vaishali on Monday. Telegraph picture

Police allegedly resorted to firing to disperse a mob after a speeding truck had run over a college girl at Mahua town in Vaishali district on Monday.

No one was injured in the firing.

A truck hit Sandhya Kumari, (15), an Intermediate student of a college in Mahua, from behind when she was cycling to her coaching classes. She was rushed to the Sadar hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. The deceased belonged to Chhatwara village, 2km east of the accident site.

As news spread, a large number of residents arrived on the spot and blocked the road near Mahua’s Gandhi Chowk, around 38km north of Patna.

The protesters went on the rampage and indulged in brick batting when the police tried to remove the blockade. The police fired tear gas shells at first, but with the protesters in no mood to relent, they reportedly opened fire in the air.

Vaishali superintendent of police Suresh Prasad Choudhary denied the police had opened fire. He said they had only burst tear gas shells to quell the protesters.

“The situation is tense but under control,” Mahua sub-divisional police officer Pritish Kumar said.

In another incident, a mob created a scene at the Hajipur Sadar hospital after the death of Suresh Prasad Singh, who was reportedly injured in a road accident in Bidupur police station area.

Singh’s relatives, however, alleged that the victim was murdered and the police were trying to shield the accused.

The deceased was a resident of Bhagwanpur in Vaishali district.