Murder or encounter? Samrat govt faces backlash over Bhojpur killing

Tensions are simmering across Bihar's Bhojpur district as public outrage erupts over the death of 28-year-old Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, killed in a police encounter that his family and local supporters insist was a cold-blooded execution.

The incident has cast a dark shadow over Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary’s aggressive new law-and-order strategy and intensified scrutiny of an undeclared encounter policy that critics argue is now being applied indiscriminately.

The gravity of the situation is amplified by the fact that Tiwari, a self-styled social activist with no prior criminal record, was reportedly shot after surrendering to authorities. It's a direct contradiction to police claims of self-defence. This narrative is further complicated by the Bhojpur police's own records, which had previously identified the young man as mentally unwell and in need of medical intervention rather than a target for lethal force.

Protests continue to paralyse the region, with even senior BJP leaders labelling the killing a "murder."

Encounter sparks public outrage

Tiwari's mother, an inconsolable Asha Devi, questions the police version. “Police knew that my son was mentally disturbed, yet they killed him after he had surrendered and was unarmed. It was a murder, not an encounter. We want justice,” she said.

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His elder sister Ruby questioned the circumstances of the shooting, alleging that Tiwari had surrendered before he was killed. “It was a murder, not an encounter,” she said.

Amid the much-publicised police crackdown on criminals, widely seen as Samrat's attempt to deal strictly with lawbreakers, the killing of Tiwari last Wednesday triggered widespread protests on the streets and an outpouring of anger on social media.

His death was not the first encounter since Samrat assumed office, but previous killings of alleged history sheeters, including Md Haider in Patna, Ramdhani Yadav in Bhagalpur and Sonu Yadav in Siwan, did not trigger similar outrage because of their criminal backgrounds.

Protests gather momentum

In Tiwari’s case, hundreds of slogan-shouting villagers took to the streets, burnt tyres and blocked a national highway for more than five hours last Thursday and Friday, demanding an impartial high-level probe and justice for his family.

Significantly, two senior BJP leaders – Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari and former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey – have publicly expressed displeasure over the incident and described it as a murder.

According to police sources in Bhojpur, Tiwari was neither a criminal nor an accused in any case involving serious offences such as murder, rape, kidnapping, extortion, robbery or loot. He was not even on the police’s list of wanted persons.

Police visited Tiwari’s house on June 16 after complaints about a social media post in which he posed with a pistol and threatened officials over the government’s failure to provide flood protection and relief to displaced residents of neighbouring Jawaniya village. In the post, he warned of a “revolutionary war” if rehabilitation measures were not undertaken.

Conflicting accounts emerge

Police acted after receiving a complaint about the social media post. It's claimed that when they visited his house, Tiwari pointed a pistol at them. Though the team returned without action, locals claim the incident angered the police.

The next day, local police and STF personnel surrounded his house. Family members and villagers claim that after live streaming the standoff on Facebook and again brandishing his weapon, Tiwari threw away the pistol and surrendered after being assured that his demands would be addressed. They allege police shot him minutes after he surrendered, leaving him critically injured. He was shifted to Patna Medical College and Hospital, where he died.

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Less than 24 hours before the encounter, Tiwari had expressed fears in another social media post that the government wanted to eliminate him.

Bhojpur SP Raj said Tiwari opened fire and police retaliated in self-defence, a claim disputed by villagers. The subsequent suspension of five policemen has further fuelled questions over the official version.

The Chief Minister on Saturday ordered a judicial inquiry headed by a retired Patna High Court judge. He said the inquiry would examine the incident from all angles and bring out the truth.

Who was Bharat Bhushan Tiwari?

Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was an unemployed self-styled social activist who worked for poor villagers displaced by floods and erosion of the Ganga. He often tried to draw the attention of local authorities to their plight. He was the son of a retired Bihar police havildar.

He often described himself as a krantikari (revolutionary) on social media and expressed deep hurt over people branding him “mad” and “anti-national”.

Outspoken as he was about what he called the failures of the local administration, Tiwari often angered his district residents and officials. According to his supporters, the police had unsuccessfully tried to dissuade him from such activities.

Borrowing from Yogi’s playbook

Soon after becoming Bihar’s first BJP Chief Minister in April 2026, Samrat Chaudhary allegedly gave the police a free hand to act against suspected criminals, leading to nearly half a dozen encounters. Four people have been killed in these encounters, including Tiwari.

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More than a dozen “half encounters” have also been reported, in which suspects were shot in the leg before being arrested.

In a departure from Nitish Kumar's emphasis on sushasan (good governance) and kanoon ka raj (rule of law), the BJP government under Samrat appears to have borrowed from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s playbook, giving police unreined freedom to act against alleged criminals. He has repeatedly warned criminals to leave Bihar or face action.