A 28-year-old’s killing woke up Bihar’s conscience

Bharat Bhushan Tiwari (28) who died on June 17, 2026, in an alleged encounter with Bihar’s Bhojpur police is no longer recognised by his name. In his village of Bilauti, under Shahpur block, villagers guide even unknown people to his house. One man says, “Aap hamare gaon ke Bhagat Singh ka ghar dhoondh rahe hai kaya?” (Are you looking for the house of the Bhagat Singh of our village).

Bharat’s under-construction, single-storey house is located opposite a government school, on the Ara-Buxar National Highway. There are over 1,000 people who have come to commiserate with his parents: villagers, members of the media, social activists, political leaders cutting across party lines. 

Despite people coming and going, Bharat’s father, Kashinath Tiwari (70), is asleep on the veranda, exhausted from the trauma of his son’s death. His mother, Asha Devi (55), is inside the house, crying. A daughter-in-law supports her, offering her water. His older brother, Basant Tiwari (35), his head shaved, sits in Bharat’s room. Through the door frame he looks at his mother, and tears fall.

“My son was not a terrorist. Why are the police not killing those who roam freely on the road after committing heinous crimes like murder and loot. My son was murdered because he was involved in social work. Why did the police kill him even though he had surrendered by throwing away his gun,” Asha Devi asks, demanding capital punishment for those responsible for his death.

Then she talks about her son, saying he was the most talented of her four children. “He had decided not to marry because of his social work. He told me that he wanted to dedicate his life to the well-being of people,” she says. “The police are now threatening to kill my family,” she says.  

Bharat was known for taking up local issues and making anti-government statements on his social media account. In Facebook videos on June 14 and 15, he threatened the Bihar government and the police, brandishing a gun in one video. The next day, a Shahpur police team came home to speak to him. Between that day and June 17 morning, he posted several more videos of the police surrounding his house and of his views on the government.

On the morning of his death, he rode off to the village where he had been fighting for people, about 1 kilometre from his house. His videos show him brandishing a gun, while showing the police surrounding him. He speaks repeatedly about a “revolution” that is about to come. Eyewitnesses say they heard five gunshots.

A police statement says they opened fire in “self-defence and to protect the public”, striking Bharat in the leg: “The individual subsequently passed away while undergoing treatment at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Patna.” They say a pistol, a magazine, two live cartridges, and two shells were recovered.

At home, Bharat’s father rises from the cot. He says he was held hostage by the police at the Shahpur police station the day his son was killed. “I went to the police station to talk to the SHO (Station House Officer, Rajesh Malakar, now suspended) to tell them that my son was not a criminal. I also urged them to take away his gun. I don’t know where he brought it,” he says, adding that when he tried to leave, a police constable did not allow him to, until noon. He got to know of his son’s death only when he came home. Kashinath himself retired from the Bihar police as a constable driver.

On June 20, the Bihar government ordered a judicial inquiry into the encounter, later announcing that retired Justice Vinod Kumar Sinha of the Patna High Court would head it. Additional Director General (ADG) Law and Order, Sudhanshu Kumar, announced to the media that five police personnel had been suspended. On June 23, Bihar police registered a murder case against Jagdishpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Shahpur SHO Rajesh Malakar, “and other assisting policemen” under section 103 (1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a press release from the Bhojpur SP’s office stated.

Bihar’s Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, from the Bharatiya Janata Party, spoke about the incident eight days later, at a meeting in Patna, saying he would ensure justice. In the past he had said in several public meetings that if any criminal dared to challenge the police, the police would respond within 48 hours, regardless of the caste or religion of the criminals.

Taking to social media

Last year in July, hundreds of houses had been submerged after the Ganga had flooded with rainwater. This had left thousands of people homeless. Around 70 villagers were brought to Bilauti village for rehabilitation. Bharat wanted the local administration to act fast to rehabilitate the flood victims and provide them with clean drinking water and electricity. He also asked that they fill up a ditch next to the land where flood victims were given land to stay, in Jawainiya village.

When authorities took time to act, he posted a video on June 7, 2026, threatening the Jagdishpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of dire consequences. “I want to inform the people of our society and the country that the Chief Minister of Bihar and his Bhojpur administration have neither filled the low-lying government land allotted to the residents of Jawainiya village with soil, nor have they provided any information regarding this matter so far. I will wait for 2 to 4 days and if the demands are not met, I will have an encounter with Jagdishpur SDM,” he had said in the Facebook post. Shortly after his death, his followers have increased to about 2 lakh.

Again on June 14, he wrote a Facebook post saying, “So, very soon you all will be informed of the date on which the SDM of Jagdishpur in Bihar will be eliminated in an encounter, and following that, a new revolution will be launched in this country.”

On June 15, he threatened the Bihar Chief Minister, the administrative system, and the SDM in a Facebook video, this time brandishing a pistol, reiterating that he had taken up arms for a revolution in the country. “Inform me within two days whether or not all the announced projects and development works will be executed. If I do not receive confirmation…a revolutionary war will be declared in the country…” his post said.

On June 16, a Shahpur police team reached Bharat’s house in the morning. He posted a video of himself pointing the pistol towards them. His mother is seen intervening, asking him to calm down. He wrote that the police were plotting to kill him.

In a mix of Hindi and Bhojpuri, sprinkled with swear words, he said, “Well then, come on—let’s play the game of hunter and prey. It’s just me against all you wolves in this battle for society and the country—bring it on, it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”

That night, at 10:55, the office of the Bhojpur Superintendent of Police (SP) released a press statement stating, “Shahpur Police Station received information that a man was roaming around carrying a weapon.” They said he was “mentally unstable” though they did not specify how they got to know of this. “For the safety of the public, a process to transfer him to a mental health facility for treatment and care has been initiated. The police team is making continuous efforts to safely recover the weapon from his possession.”

On June 17 at 12:55 a.m., Bharat posted another video showing a police team outside his house. “Are you all here to kill me? I am here, come and shoot me,” he said. 

At 5.33 a.m., Bharat was on a Facebook Live video from his rooftop, showing a police vehicle along with constables. “Look at this Bihar police. They want to take me along with them by declaring me mad. When Bhagat Singh was fighting for society and the country, he too was declared mad. Today I will show them my madness,” the video said. It shows him rushing down and up to the rooftop again, then firing a shot in the direction of the police vehicle. The vehicle is seen moving away, and parking further from the house. The live video lasted 7:10 minutes.

In another couple of live videos, he shows himself at Jawainiya village, pistol in hand, saying the police was firing, and closing in on him from the fields around. “No politicians will make false promises during election time. If they make any promise, they have to fulfil it, or else war will begin. All the works with regard to drainage systems, water supply, electricity and other necessary things should be done without any corruption. You all have come as if I am a terrorist,” Bharat said in the video.

In his last Facebook Live video at 9:58 a.m., which lasted for 3:43 minutes, he repeats this speech, throws down his gun, saying he had no problem surrendering.

At 4:41 p.m., the Bhojpur SP’s office released another press statement which said, “On June 17, 2026, at approximately 09:00 a.m., the police received information that an individual named Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was brandishing a pistol and firing into the air. The police and the Bhojpur STF team repeatedly called upon the individual to surrender; however, he continued to fire intermittently at the police with the pistol he was holding. His actions posed a grave threat to the lives and safety of the police team and the general public.” It went on to say that the police had shot him and he had died in hospital. 

Villagers and eyewitnesses speak

Dhakkad Bind (65) is an eyewitness. He says, “Soon after he threw down the gun and surrendered, the police made a circle keeping Bharat in the centre. Three gunshots were heard. Despite that, he was alive and even laughing. Then they dragged him to the police vehicle, where again two gunshots were heard.”

Another eyewitness Tej Bind (45), from Jawainiya village, says that before the encounter, the police lathi-charged people living in the rehabilitation area so they were forced to leave home. “The entire incident lasted for more than an hour. After killing him, police put their feet on his chest,” he adds.

Anjali Devi (30) another resident of Jawainiya village, said that Bharat would visit the rehabilitation centre twice a day, asking about their problems. Lalita Devi (40), echoes her, saying that he was not mentally unstable, but had always stood by their side. She asserted that with his efforts, two hand pumps had been installed in the village.

Bharat’s friend Varun Ojha says Bharat had purchased the pistol by selling a gold chain. 

The day after his death, and the video of his surrender went viral on social media, Bharat’s family placed his body on the Ara-Buxar four-lane demanding a high-level enquiry. The residents of Bilauti village blocked the road for nearly six hours, until police lathi-charged the crowd. His supporters pelted stones on the police vehicles.

A campaign has started on social media in his support where people are calling him fearless and comparing him with Bhagat Singh. Protesting against the encounter, a Maha Panchayat was organised on June 24 at the village; thousands attended, demanding justice.

Leaders of both opposition and ruling parties raised questions over the encounter. Janata Dal (United) national working president and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Jha says, “If a policeman commits any crime, he too should not be spared.” Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister Ashwini Choubey went to meet the family and says, “This incident brings shame to our democracy. Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was a strong voice for ST, SC, OBC, the impoverished, and marginalised sections.”

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor went to the village to attend the Maha Panchayat. Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly Tejashwi Yadav sent his leaders to Bharat’s house and demanded an apology from the Chief Minister.  MP Pappu Yadav also met the family members and raised questions over the encounter. Congress MP Tariq Anwar said Bharat should have been arrested and sent to court.

However, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) founder and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi supported the police’s actions. He also posted a message on X along with an old newspaper cutting according to which Bharat had been arrested in a case related to quarrel. The same clipping was found on Bharat’s Facebook page, from March 28, 2025, in which he had accepted that he had slapped the then-SHO of Shahpur police station, but denied being sent to jail.

Bharat’s mother now remembers how, a few years ago, her son had organised his own Pind Daan, a Hindu ritual performed for the dead. Last year, on a Facebook post, he said he wanted his organs donated once he died. He was cremated on June 18.