Bhojpur encounter: PK seeks probe by sitting judge, threatens gherao of Bihar CM if demand not met

PATNA: Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Wednesday demanded that the judicial inquiry into the death of a man in the recent police encounter in Bihar's Bhojpur district be conducted by a sitting judge.

Addressing a 'maha panchayat' (a huge public meeting) at Bilauti, the village to which the deceased Bharat Tiwari belonged, Kishor said the role played by "top officials sitting in Patna" must also be probed and warned of "a gherao of the Chief Minister's residence" if the demands were not met in 15 days.

The political strategist-turned-activist addressed the 'maha panchayat' after visiting the residence of Tiwari and meeting the bereaved family members.

The deceased's kin had met him and sought his help days after the man, described as "mentally stable" by the Bhojpur administration, had been shot dead on June 17.

The Samrat Choudhary government in Bihar, which has been facing the charge that it was a "fake encounter", has ordered a judicial inquiry, to be conducted by a retired judge of the high court.

However, Kishor insisted "the judicial inquiry should be conducted by a sitting judge and not a retired judge, and it must be ensured that the probe is complete within three months".

"The scope of the inquiry should extend beyond Bhojpur district and accountability must be fixed at the highest level," he said.

"The deceased's family members have made it clear that they want no compensation, no government jobs on compassionate grounds. All they seek is justice. That is the sentiment I, too, express," said Kishor.

The Jan Suraaj Party founder said the judicial inquiry must "not stop at probing the role of police officials involved in the encounter or even those posted in Bhojpur. Nothing would be achieved if small fry in the local police and administration is punished".

"It must be investigated as to whether the police personnel in Bhojpur had pulled the trigger of their own accord, or were they acting under instructions from top officials in Patna. The role of big shots in the state headquarters... the DGP, the Home department, all must be looked into," said Kishor.

He warned of gheraoing the CM's residence if the demand is not met within 15 days.

"If our demands are not met in 15 days, I call upon all present here to join me in Patna, where we shall seek an appointment with the chief minister. If he refuses to meet, we shall gherao his residence," Kishor said.

Notably, family members of Tiwari, whose death has triggered social media outrage, have debunked the claim of the police that he was "mentally unstable".

They, however, admitted that the jobless youngster had become a social and political activist, and many of his social media posts had provoked the local administration, causing the police to turn up at their place on the fateful day.

Kishor, who also interacted with journalists present at the village situated about 100 kms from the state capital, said, "From what I gather, Bharat Tiwari was not a deranged person but a man committed to ensuring that residents of this area get basic facilities like electricity." He claimed that Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary might have ordered a judicial probe as an afterthought, but his initial reaction to the encounter was "proof of his lack of sensitivity".

"Choudhary believes that the job of the police is to be trigger-happy. We will make him realise that power rests with the people and he cannot behave like an emperor by letting the police loose as if they were predators (bhakshak) and not protectors (rakshak)," Kishor alleged.

"I have Bharat Tiwari's mother by my side. She says many have approached them with an offer of money, which she has turned down, as all she wants is justice. Let me tell all those who have suddenly become well-wishers of the bereaved family that the community (samaj) will take care of their needs," the Jan Suraaj Party founder said.

The killing of Tiwari, 28, in a district bordering Uttar Pradesh, has been blamed by critics of the BJP on the alleged eagerness of Choudhary, the first leader from the party to head a government in Bihar, to emulate the "bulldozer justice" model of the Yogi Adityanath administration.

The anguish, particularly among Brahmins, who are among the most influential social groups in Uttar Pradesh, has led to jitters in the ruling party, which faces an all-important battle in the adjoining state, where assembly polls are likely to be held in about half a year.

The ruling NDA in Bihar has, therefore, been accusing the opposition of trying to foment trouble.

Senior minister Shrawon Kumar, who is also the JD(U)'s legislative party leader, claimed that the opposition was "trying to score political points".

"We, too, are sad over the incident, a reason why a judicial probe has been ordered. Let there be no doubts in the people's mind that the rule of law, which was the hallmark of the administration under our leader Nitish Kumar, is continuing under Samrat Choudhary," he added.