Purnea: Prominent businessman and well-known blogger Suraj Bihari was shot dead in Purnea after being fired upon indiscriminately by assailants. He was hit by three bullets and died on the spot. The incident took place on Tuesday, January 27, sending shockwaves across the district.
Five days after the murder, a chilling CCTV video of the crime has surfaced. The footage, lasting about 3 minutes and 47 seconds, captures the sound of gunshots and the tense atmosphere that followed the attack. The entire shooting was recorded by a CCTV camera installed outside a house near the crime scene.
In the video, Suraj Bihari is seen walking with four others towards a black Scorpio vehicle. Moments later, armed men rush towards the group and open fire. Three shots hit Suraj — two in the chest and one in the abdomen — causing him to collapse within a few steps.
Dispute over social media post led to murder
Police sources say the incident was triggered by a dispute linked to a social media post. Suraj Bihari had gone to the area to resolve a quarrel involving his younger brother Uday Yadav and Uday’s friend Suraj Sharma, a popular influencer and blogger from Purnea.
On January 23, during Saraswati Puja, Suraj Sharma had posted a photo with a girl on Instagram. The girl’s boyfriend, identified as Snehil Jha, reportedly took offence and began targeting Suraj Sharma. Tensions escalated and a confrontation followed.
On Tuesday night, Suraj Bihari arrived at Navalal Chowk with his guard and a relative to mediate the dispute. During the talks, wanted criminal Brajesh Singh allegedly arrived with his brother Nandu Singh and 20–25 associates linked to a smuggling gang. The situation quickly turned violent.
Attack caught on camera
CCTV visuals show multiple attackers arriving on bikes and on foot. A man in a white jacket, identified as Brajesh Singh, is seen first firing in the air before pointing the pistol at Suraj Bihari. The first shot was fired at 10:20:43 pm, followed by a second shot at 10:21 pm that hit Suraj in the chest. A third bullet struck his stomach within seconds.
After walking a few steps, Suraj collapsed on the ground. One more shot was fired by another assailant before the attackers fled.
Suraj was rushed to Hope Hospital in a Scorpio vehicle by his brother, guard and relatives, but doctors declared him dead during treatment.
Seven named, three unknown booked
Police have registered an FIR against seven named and three unidentified accused. Those named include wanted criminal Brajesh Singh, his brother Raj Singh alias Nandu Singh, Snehil Jha alias Snehil Thakur, and associates Aditya alias Ayush Thakur, Aishu Singh, Rajneesh Singh and Aman Singh.
Several criminal cases are already registered against Brajesh Singh, including a murder case from eight years ago. Despite five days passing since the incident, the accused remain at large.
The murder of Suraj Bihari has sparked anger and fear in Purnea, with locals demanding swift arrests and strict action against the culprits.
