Ara: Chhotu Mishra, a history-sheeter injured in a police encounter while fleeing after shooting a property dealer in Jagdishpur, succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday morning. He died in an ambulance on the way to Patna after being referred from Sadar Hospital, Ara for better treatment.
The 24-year-old deceased was the son of retired soldier Jai Prakash Mishra, a resident of Madhukarpur village under Dinara police station in Rohtas district. He had been living in Anand Nagar Mohalla of Ara. Mishra was shot in the leg during an exchange of fire with the police.
Protest and Road Blockade by Family
Following his death, angry family members and supporters blocked the Mathia-Shivganj road near Sadar Hospital, Ara, accusing police and doctors of negligence in treatment. The blockade continued for about 45 minutes, disrupting traffic.
To clear the protest, police resorted to lathi-charge and dispersed the crowd.
Criminal History of the Deceased
According to police records, Chhotu Mishra was a notorious history-sheeter with at least 12 criminal cases against him in Bhojpur district. His charges included:
- Murder of contractor Raju,
- Encounter with police,
- Attempt to murder,
- Extortion, and
- Mithlesh Paswan murder case.
He had spent four years in jail and was recently released on bail from Bhagalpur jail three months ago.
The Incident: Shooting Over a Road Dispute
On the evening of March 9, Mishra and his accomplice Vipul Rai, a resident of Dhangai village, got into an argument over vehicle overtaking with property dealer Pappu Singh of Kaunra village in Jagdishpur police station area. The altercation escalated, and Mishra and Rai shot Pappu Singh in the leg before fleeing on a motorcycle.
Police Encounter and Arrest
Police intercepted Mishra and Rai near Nayaka Tola, leading to an exchange of fire. Both were shot in the leg and injured before being arrested and taken to Sadar Hospital, Ara, for treatment in police custody.
Two separate FIRs were registered against Mishra and Rai based on statements from injured property dealer Pappu Singh and the police.
Allegations of Negligence and Police Response
After first aid, Mishra was referred to Patna on Tuesday morning for better treatment. However, while being taken to Patna on Wednesday morning, he died inside the ambulance.
Following his death, his father Jai Prakash Mishra accused the police and hospital administration of negligence, claiming that their delay and improper care led to his son’s demise.
Heavy Police Presence at Protest Site
On receiving information about the road blockade, several police officials, including:
- Sadar SDPO-2 Ranjit Kumar Singh,
- Traffic DSP Manoj Kumar Sudhanshu,
- Town Police Station In-charge Devraj Rai,
- Nawada Police Station In-charge Vipin Bihari,
- Mufassil Police Station In-charge Ashish Kumar Sah, and
- Traffic Police Station In-charge Shravan Kumar,
rushed to the spot. Despite negotiations, the family members remained adamant for some time before police forcibly cleared the area.
Postmortem Conducted Under Magistrate’s Supervision
A three-member medical board, comprising Dr. Suryakant Nirala, Dr. Aman Singh, and Dr. K.S. Choubey, conducted Mishra’s postmortem under videographic supervision of a magistrate, on instructions from the civil surgeon.
Previous Encounter Cost His Mother’s Life
This was not the first time Mishra had been involved in an encounter with the police. On January 11, 2021, he escaped during an exchange of fire, but his mother, Shail Devi, was killed in the crossfire. Following that, police had intensified efforts to track and arrest him, but he remained elusive until his capture after the murder of contractor Raju.
