Patna: The post-mortem report in the Bharat Tiwari encounter case has confirmed that he sustained five gunshot wounds, all to the lower part of his body. The findings have intensified scrutiny of the encounter as a judicial inquiry continues into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the report, none of the bullet injuries were found above the waist. Officials are yet to release the findings of the ongoing judicial investigation.
Post-Mortem Findings
The post-mortem report details the locations of all five bullet wounds.
The first bullet struck the upper portion of Bharat Tiwari’s left thigh from the front. The second entered the inner side of the middle section of the left thigh, while the third hit the inner side of the middle section of the right thigh.
The fourth bullet was found on the outer side of the right thigh. The fifth struck the middle portion of the left leg from behind. The report confirms that all injuries were confined to the lower body.
Father and Brother Removed From FIR
In a separate development, Bhojpur Police have removed the names of Bharat Tiwari’s father, Kashinath Tiwari, and brother, Chandan Tiwari, from the FIR.
The two had earlier been booked under multiple sections on allegations of possessing illegal weapons and providing shelter to Bharat Tiwari. Police have not publicly detailed the reasons for removing their names from the case.
Judicial Inquiry Underway
The judicial inquiry into the encounter is in progress.
Retired judge Vinod Kumar Sinha visited Bharat Tiwari’s village on Thursday along with his team to inspect the site of the incident. During the visit, the inquiry team also interacted with members of Bharat Tiwari’s family.
The Bhojpur District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Inspector General of the Shahabad Range were present during the inspection.
Government Response
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, responding publicly to the case on the eighth day after the encounter, said the government would take action if the inquiry established any irregularities.
He said a high-level commission had been constituted to investigate the matter and that further action would depend on its findings.
Background of the Case
On June 17, Bharat Tiwari appeared in a Facebook Live video in which he claimed he was innocent and expressed his intention to surrender before the police.
According to the police, after surrendering, Bharat Tiwari allegedly picked up a firearm and attempted to open fire on personnel. Police said they responded in self-defence, leading to the encounter in which he was killed.
The judicial inquiry is expected to examine the sequence of events, including the circumstances of the alleged exchange of fire, alongside the medical and forensic evidence.
