India, Aug. 14 -- Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar on Friday asserted that security personnel are "sometimes forced to retaliate in self-defence" during face-offs with criminals, amid an ongoing controversy involving recent police encounters in the state.

Addressing the media at a press conference in Patna, the director general of police said that while police personnel adhere strictly to standard procedures, situations often arise during encounters where personnel are bound to respond to gunfire initiated by suspects to protect themselves and maintain law and order.

Though the DGP did not specify any individual incident, his remarks came in response to queries by journalists regarding allegations surrounding the role of police personnel in recent...