Patna encounter: Police say criminals fired first, families allege pre-planned killing

Three suspected criminals were killed in a police encounter in Patna, with police claiming they opened fire first. Their families alleged a planned killing, while RJD MP Misa Bharti accused the Bihar Chief Minister of targeting a particular community

Patna/Arrah: Three suspected criminals were killed in an exchange of fire with police in Patna’s Maner locality on Friday, while an officer had a close shave after a bullet grazed his uniform, a police official said.

Family members of the deceased alleged that it was a “planned killing”. Meanwhile, RJD MP Misa Bharti accused Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of targeting people from a particular community through police encounters.

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Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya Sharma said the incident took place in the Sherpur area of Patna district when a joint team of the Special Task Force (STF) and district police was on patrol.

“Upon receiving information that some people with previous criminal records had assembled there to carry out a crime, they rushed to the spot and were faced with indiscriminate fire. The SHO of Maner police station and his team retaliated and injured three of the accused,” the officer told reporters.

The three accused were taken to a hospital, where they were declared dead, Sharma said, adding that a bullet fired by the suspected criminals grazed the SHO’s uniform.

“Police fired 18 rounds, while the criminals fired more than 24 rounds,” he added.

According to the SSP, the three men were wanted in several cases registered at police stations in Danapur, Shahpur and adjoining areas. They were also allegedly involved in the killing of a man in Maner last month, Sharma said.

Police identified the deceased as Jayprakash Yadav of Danapur, and Raja Kumar and Bablu Yadav of Shahpur.

Jayprakash Yadav’s criminal record included nine cases related to murder, attempt to murder, extortion, assault, and illegal possession of arms and explosives registered at different police stations in Patna. Suraj and Bablu Yadav had two cases each registered against them under the Arms Act and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said.

Meanwhile, family members of the deceased and local residents staged a protest outside Danapur Sadar Hospital, where the bodies were taken for post-mortem examination, alleging that the killings were planned.

Local RJD MP Misa Bharti visited the families of the deceased and accused Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of targeting people from a particular community.

“While encounters have increased in Bihar, the chief minister makes public statements targeting a particular caste and directing police action against people holding green gamchhas (seen as an allusion to the opposition RJD),” she said.

She also criticised Danapur MLA Ramkripal Yadav, a minister in the Bihar government, for not visiting the families of the deceased or offering condolences.

Protesters told Bharti that the three accused had been called to the spot by the police “to kill them”. They also tried to assault a man, alleging that he had led the three accused to the police.

A scuffle also broke out between police and local residents, in which Assistant Superintendent of Police Ajit Kumar sustained minor injuries.

In Bhojpur district, a man wanted in the murder of retired customs officer Ram Kumar Singh, 68, was injured in an exchange of fire with police early on Friday near Sarangpur village.

Superintendent of Police Awadhesh Dixit said the accused, Pawan Yadav, was taken to Ara Sadar Hospital for treatment.

“Yadav opened fire on the police team and attempted to escape, forcing officials to fire in self-defence. During the exchange of fire, a bullet hit Yadav in the leg,” the officer said.