Bharat Tiwari encounter: FIR Filed Against Bihar Policemen Over Bhojpur Encounter

An FIR has been filed against the police officers involved in Bharat Bhushan Tiwari’s contentious encounter in the Bihar district of Bhojpur. According to sources, Bharat Tiwari’s mother had filed a murder case in police records and an FIR has been lodged against the policemen who had fired the shots, according to reports. The Bihar government has ordered a court to look into the matter.

Bihar has become deeply entangled in a political maze as a result of the tragedy, which has also generated protests around Bhojpur and led several ruling alliance figures to question the police response. In addition, opposition parties have demanded that the government issue a public apology and conduct an impartial investigation into the matter.

The Bihar government had earlier announced a judicial probe into the encounter. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said on X that an independent judicial inquiry into the Wednesday encounter in Bilauti village will be conducted under the aegis of a retired High Court judge.

The judicial inquiry will be a proper investigation of every aspect of the incident, with complete impartiality and transparency, he said.

Four policemen, including a Station House Officer (SHO), have been suspended by the Bihar police following “evidence” of a gun-wielding suspect pointing a pistol at policemen on Tuesday, with the officers allegedly taking too long to respond in the Bhojpur incident.

In order to look into the alleged “extra-judicial killing” of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, a plea has also been submitted to the Supreme Court for the formation of an impartial expert committee headed by a former top court judge. The Central Bureau of probe (CBI) should look into the case, according to the request, which also calls for a “prompt, independent and impartial” probe.

Officers responded in self-defence and for the public’s safety after Bharat Tiwari allegedly opened fire on the police team during an operation in Bilauti village, according to the police. After being hurt during the gunfight, Tiwari was taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital, where he passed away en route.

The police in their initial statement stated that Tiwari was a person who was allegedly “mentally unsound. But family members and a handful of local residents disagreed, saying he was a social activist who consistently raised public grievances and local issues with government officials.

Meanwhile, a fake video that has been released on social media seems to depict Tiwari dropping his gun just before the encounter. The ability to verify the video’s authenticity and context is not yet released. Additionally, according to the police statement, the accused began firing at the police, and the officers fired in “self-defence”, which resulted in a bullet wound on the accused’s leg.