Darbhanga: Tension gripped Darbhanga on Wednesday evening after the body of a gold merchant was found in pieces on the Darbhanga–Muzaffarpur four-lane near Ranipur under Sadar police station limits. The incident triggered massive outrage, with locals blocking the highway for nearly five hours and accusing police of attempting to cover up the case as a road accident.
The deceased was identified as Manish Kumar Gupta, son of Vasudev Prasad Gupta and a resident of Ganesh Mandir Chowk in Hasan Chak under Nagar police station area. Manish, who owned a jewellery shop at Ganga Market near Darbhanga Tower, was reportedly found dead in six pieces, a discovery that shocked residents and drew a large crowd to the spot.
Family Alleges Foul Play
According to family members, Manish had returned home around 3 p.m. on Wednesday to eat prasad. Shortly after, he received a call and left home abruptly, leaving his mobile phone behind. Barely an hour later, news reached the family that his mutilated body had been discovered on the highway.
Relatives alleged that he was shot dead and that his body was dumped on the road to make it look like a hit-and-run. They pointed out the absence of blood at the scene and claimed that his gold chain and four to five rings were missing.
“Manish never travelled on foot. How could he have reached six kilometres away without his phone? This is clearly a murder, not an accident,” a relative alleged.
Public Anger and Road Blockade
As news spread, hundreds of locals gathered at the site. When police officials initially described the death as the result of an e-rickshaw accident, the crowd grew agitated and blocked the highway, shouting slogans against the police.
Protesters alleged that instead of investigating, police were attempting to hush up the case. The blockade caused long traffic jams on both sides of the four-lane road, with vehicles stranded for hours.
Senior Officials Intervene
Following the protest, Sadar SDO Vikas Kumar and SDPO Rajiv Kumar arrived at the spot with reinforcements. After pacifying the crowd, the officials assured locals that a murder case would be registered and a fair investigation would be carried out.
Only after these assurances did the protesters clear the road, allowing traffic movement to resume gradually.
Meanwhile, Sadar police station in-charge Manoj Kumar confirmed that the body had been sent for post-mortem. “The investigation is underway, and action will be taken based on the autopsy report and evidence,” he said.
The incident has sparked widespread anger in Darbhanga, with residents demanding swift justice for the slain gold merchant.
