- Post-mortem shows five bullet wounds, not four as claimed.
- Police FIR contradicts medical findings on self-defence firing.
- Human Rights Commission investigating, sets four-week deadline.
Jagran Correspondent, Ara: The release of the post-mortem report regarding the Bharat Bhushan Tiwari encounter has raised a series of questions about the incident. The incident took place on June 17 in Bilauti village, located within the jurisdiction of the Shahpur police station in Bihar's Bhojpur district.
Discrepancies Emerge Between Police FIR And Post-Mortem Findings
Several contradictions have emerged between the police account and the post-mortem findings regarding the encounter. According to the FIR, the Special Task Force (STF) personnel fired four rounds in self-defence, striking Bharat. It also mentioned that the then-station officer, Rajesh Malakar, fired one round, though the bullet did not specify the person who was hit, Jagran.com reported.
However, the post-mortem report tells a different story, mentioning a total of five separate bullet wounds in Bharat's leg and thigh. This mismatch between the number of shots claimed in the FIR and the actual wounds recorded by medical examiners has raised serious questions.
What's Next?
The police officers involved in the operation face intense scrutiny as they will be required to justify these discrepancies during the judicial inquiry and the State Human Rights Commission investigation. The biggest question remains: what kind of encounter was this, in which so many rounds were fired in self-defence?
While the police have stated that Bhrata opened fire on the team, forcing them to retaliate, which resulted in his fatal injuries. Interestingly, the FIR filed based on the statement of the deceased's mother, Asha Devi, mentions five shots being fired.
The investigation will now focus on how many bullets were discharged in self-defence, who fired them, the precise circumstances under which force was used, and whether the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were followed.
What Doctor Said?
Doctors at Sadar Hospital in Ara, who provided first aid to Bhara, stated that he had been hit by four to five bullets. Due to his critical condition, he was referred to PMCH, where he later died during treatment.
FIR Details Sequence Of Events
According to the FIR, Bharat Bhushan Tiwari opened fire when chased by the police team, with one striking the bonnet of the police station's official vehicle. The police claimed that he continued firing despite repeated warnings to surrender, prompting the then-station chief to fire a single round.
The FIR further notes that Bharat was holding a mobile phone in one hand and a pistol in the other. He briefly threw the pistol down, but as a police officer approached to pick it up, Bharat picked the weapon up again and fired two rounds at the police. In response, STF officer Akshay fired four rounds below the waist in self-defence, hitting Bharat and causing him to fall.
Police claimed to have recovered two empty shells, a country-made pistol, a magazine, and two cartridges from the scene. The service pistols of the then-station head and the STF officer, along with the accused's pistol, have been seized for further investigation.
Human Rights Commission Sets 4-Week Deadline
The State Human Rights Commission has granted four weeks to resolve the matter and scheduled the next hearing for July 13. Police have filed two separate FIRs regarding the encounter.
The investigating agencies will now review the entire case by analysing the FIRs, evidence recovered from the scene, the post-mortem report, the ballistic examination results, and the statements of the involved police personnel.
The relatives of the deceased continue to question the police action, making the judicial inquiry and the State Human Rights Commission investigation crucial to uncover the facts of the case.
(With Inputs From Jagran.com/Deepak Singh)