Patna, June 24 (IANS) Public anger continues to intensify over the controversial police encounter of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari in Bihar’s Bhojpur district. A Mahapanchayat was organised on Wednesday in Bilauti village of Bhojpur district, the ancestral village of the deceased, where a large gathering pledged to continue the agitation until justice is delivered.

Addressing the gathering, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor said that merely taking action against the police personnel who fired the shot would not constitute justice.

According to him, accountability must extend to those who allegedly ordered the operation from Patna.

Kishor alleged that an encounter culture is being encouraged in the state and criticised the government’s handling of the case.

He stated that the incident was not simply the death of a young man in a police encounter but a serious matter that demands accountability at the highest levels.

“The Chief Minister has not expressed condolences to the family. The case was mishandled from the beginning, and now lower-level officials are being made scapegoats to ease public pressure,” he said.

Expressing solidarity with the bereaved family, Kishor stated that the Jan Suraaj movement stands firmly with them. Referring to the victim’s mother, he said that she was not seeking financial assistance, employment, or compensation but only justice for her son.

He argued that justice would not be achieved merely by suspending a Station House Officer or taking action against a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

According to him, the investigation should also examine those who allegedly planned or authorised the operation.

Kishor also questioned the government’s announcement regarding a judicial enquiry, saying that authorities have not clarified who will conduct the investigation or what its scope will be.

He asked whether the enquiry would focus only on the officers who allegedly fired the shots or also investigate those who directed the operation.

The Jan Suraaj leader criticised Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary over remarks that appeared to justify the police action.

He argued that policing is meant to protect citizens rather than resort to gunfire and warned against normalising encounter-based law enforcement.

Kishor further stated that Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was not mentally unstable but had been pushed into distress by circumstances and administrative issues.

He claimed that Tiwari had been raising local concerns and was not engaged in a personal conflict.

Warning of continued protests, Kishor said that if justice is not delivered and the role of the Home Department is not investigated, the movement will intensify.

He announced plans to seek a meeting with Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary within the next 15 days and said that supporters would stage protests if their demands are ignored.

Bharat Bhushan Tiwari died in a police encounter on June 17 in Bilauti village under the Shahpur police station area.

Police officials have maintained that the firing occurred in self-defence during retaliatory action.

However, the victim’s family alleges that he had already surrendered his weapon when he was shot.

The case has generated widespread debate after a video purportedly showing the incident surfaced publicly.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered against five police personnel, including the SDPO and the SHO, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.

The incident has emerged as a major political issue in Bihar, with Opposition leaders and social groups demanding an impartial enquiry and accountability for those responsible.

–IANS

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