Muzaffarpur/Patna: A wanted criminal was injured in a police encounter in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district on Friday evening, following an alleged attempt to escape custody and fire upon officers escorting him during an ongoing investigation.
The accused, identified as Rahul Kumar alias ‘Rider’, a resident of Narauli village under Saraiya police station, has been implicated in multiple cases of robbery, armed assault, and escape from custody. He was arrested on Friday by Muzaffarpur police and was being taken to identify his associate when the encounter took place.
According to police, Rahul Kumar asked to stop the vehicle on the pretext of urinating, and allegedly snatched a weapon from an escorting officer in an attempt to flee. He then opened fire at the police, prompting a retaliatory response.
“About 12 rounds were exchanged between the accused and the police,” said Rural Superintendent of Police Vidya Sagar, adding that the accused was shot in the leg during the controlled firing. He was subdued and taken into custody before being transferred to a local PHC and later referred to SKMCH for further medical care.
Police confirmed that the vehicle used during the operation sustained damage in the incident.
SP Vidya Sagar clarified, “This was not a planned encounter but a controlled firing in response to the accused’s aggression. Rahul Kumar was involved in a series of crimes, including a recent pickup van robbery in the Jaitapur police station area.”
The incident echoes a previous escape by the same accused on 18 September 2024, when Rahul had reportedly fled from Saraiya police station under similar circumstances. “A separate case (449/24) had been registered in that incident, and ever since, he had been on the run,” said the SP.
According to police records, Rahul Kumar is facing charges under case number 443/24 and has been a known figure in Saraiya and surrounding areas, with multiple pending cases of robbery, assault, and firing.
A manhunt is currently underway to apprehend his associate Prince, who managed to evade capture during the same operation at Kali Sthan under Saraiya police limits.
Police officials say additional precautions are now being implemented during the transport and interrogation of high-risk detainees.
