Arrah (Bihar), Jun 18 (PTI) Four policemen, including an SHO, were suspended in Bihar’s Bhojpur district after a viral video purportedly showed an armed suspect pointing a pistol at them while they failed to respond effectively, officials said.
Shahpur SHO Rajesh Kumar Malakar was suspended along with a sub-inspector, an assistant sub-inspector and a constable, they said.
The action was taken on the recommendation of Superintendent of Police Raj, they added.
The officers were found lacking in operational alertness during an incident on June 16 involving Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, who was seen in the viral video allegedly brandishing a firearm, an official said.
“The suspended officers were faulted for negligence and failure to act decisively when the accused displayed a weapon. The incident later escalated and culminated in a police encounter on June 17 in which the accused was killed,” he said.
The SP said the suspension followed a departmental review of the incident.
“The viral video showed Bharat Bhushan Tiwari pointing a pistol at police personnel, while the SHO and his team failed to take effective action to control the situation. They lacked operational alertness,” he said.
The death of Tiwari, a resident of Bilauti village in the Shahpur police station area, triggered protests in the area on Thursday.
Police said officers opened fire in self-defence after Tiwari allegedly fired at them during an operation to apprehend him.
He sustained injuries in the exchange of fire and was first taken to Ara Sadar Hospital before being referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). He died while being shifted to the state capital, officials said.
Police said an earlier attempt to detain Tiwari on June 16 had failed despite receiving specific inputs.
When a police team returned to the village the following day, Tiwari moved into an open field, challenged the police and began livestreaming the confrontation on social media. He also allegedly opened fire at the personnel, prompting retaliatory action by the police, they said.
An investigation into the incident is underway, they added. PTI PKD SOM
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