Bhojpur Police Encounter: FIR Lodged Against Police Personnel Who Opened Fire on Bharat Tiwari

Patna: Following a political dispute and widespread public outrage, the Bihar government has announced a high-level judicial inquiry into the death of 28-year-old social activist Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, who was killed in a controversial police encounter in Bhojpur district on June 17.

The investigation intensified after Bhojpur police registered an FIR against the personnel who opened fire, based directly on a formal complaint filed by Tiwari’s family.

The Standoff and a Controversial Video

Tiwari, a resident of Bilauti village under the Shahpur police station, was known locally for using social media to highlight public grievances such as flooding, poor roads, and local administrative corruption.

According to the Bhojpur police, a team alongside Special Task Force (STF) personnel was dispatched to his village following reports that Tiwari was carrying an illegal pistol and firing in the air. The police initially released statements describing Tiwari as "mentally unsound" and claimed he fired multiple rounds at officers, forcing them to retaliate in self-defense. He sustained gunshot injuries to his legs during the encounter and later died while being transported to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).

However, the police narrative came under heavy scrutiny after several Facebook Live videos recorded by Tiwari before and during the standoff went viral online. In his final livestreams, Tiwari stated he was willing to lay down his weapon if local issues were addressed. Eyewitnesses and family members argue that the footage shows Tiwari throwing his pistol away toward the officers, indicating he had surrendered and was unarmed when the fatal shots were fired.

Legal Action

The incident has triggered a sharp political backlash from both opposition leaders and members of the ruling alliance, who have questioned the use of lethal force when other options were available.

In response to the growing controversy, the Bihar government has suspended four police personnel, including the local Station House Officer (SHO), pending a full investigation. A high-level independent inquiry committee, led by a retired High Court judge, has been formed to investigate the true sequence of events. Concurrently, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the encounter.

The circumstances surrounding the incident, including the conflicting narratives between local witnesses and the security forces, continue to raise significant questions regarding administrative accountability. 

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