Patna: The Bihar government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the controversial encounter killing of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, appointing a commission headed by retired Patna High Court Judge Vinod Kumar Sinha to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The decision was approved by the state cabinet on Wednesday amid mounting political pressure and public protests over the encounter, which took place in Bhojpur district on June 17 and resulted in Tiwari’s death while undergoing treatment.
The announcement came on the same day that thousands of people gathered in Bilauti village, Tiwari’s native place, for a Mahapanchayat demanding justice and an independent investigation into the case.
Judicial Probe Approved
The inquiry commission will examine the circumstances leading to the encounter and investigate allegations raised by family members, local residents and social organisations.
Questions surrounding the police operation have intensified in recent days, with Tiwari’s family maintaining that the official account does not accurately reflect what occurred during the encounter.
The government has also transferred Jagdishpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Rajesh Kumar Sharma to the police lines. Sharma had led the operation on the day of the encounter.
Mahapanchayat Draws Large Crowds
The cabinet decision coincided with a massive Mahapanchayat in Bilauti village, where supporters from Bihar and several other states assembled to press for accountability.
Organisers claimed that tens of thousands of people attended the gathering, which saw participants carrying the Indian tricolour and raising slogans demanding justice for Tiwari.
Ahead of the event, supporters erected posters across the village and nearby highways describing Tiwari as a martyr, while a local signboard was repainted to rename an area “Shaheed Bharat Nagar” in his memory.
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Prashant Kishor Steps Up Pressure
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor visited Bilauti on Wednesday and met members of Tiwari’s family before addressing the gathering.
Kishor argued that justice would require action not only against those directly involved in the encounter but also against those who allegedly ordered it.
He warned that if the government failed to act within 15 days, an even larger protest would be organised.
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Prashant Kishor Visits Bilauti Mahapanchayat, Demands Action In Bharat Tiwari Encounter Case
Conflicting Accounts Of The Encounter
At the centre of the controversy are competing narratives about what happened during the police operation.
Villagers and family members allege that Tiwari was persuaded to surrender after receiving assurances from police personnel. According to their account, he discarded his weapon and surrendered before being taken into custody.
Some eyewitnesses claim that after the surrender, Tiwari was escorted forward by police officers and then shot while surrounded by security personnel. They further allege that additional shots were fired after he was placed inside a vehicle.
The police have rejected these allegations and maintain that force was used in self-defence during the operation.
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Legal And Political Scrutiny Intensifies
The judicial inquiry comes amid growing legal scrutiny of the case.
A murder case has already been registered against the Jagdishpur SDPO, the Shahpur Station House Officer (SHO) and other police personnel following a complaint lodged by Tiwari’s mother.
Separate petitions seeking independent investigations have also been filed before the Supreme Court and the Patna High Court.
With a judicial commission now set to begin its work, the encounter case has entered a new phase, one that is likely to be closely watched by Tiwari’s family, political leaders and the thousands of supporters who gathered in Bilauti to demand answers.
