The murder of Dehri-Dalmianagar Municipal Council Executive Officer (EO) Vimal Kumar has taken a dramatic turn after the post-mortem reportedly ruled out gunshot injuries, contradicting the initial claim made by his driver that the officer was attacked by assailants on an Apache motorcycle.
According to preliminary post-mortem findings, Kumar suffered multiple fractures, deep bruises on the neck, chest and back, and several other grievous injuries, indicating that he was brutally assaulted with a heavy blunt object, possibly an iron rod. Doctors also found sharp-force injuries on the body. The exact cause of death, however, will be confirmed only after the final post-mortem report is released.
Vimal Kumar was found critically injured near Dhanauti Bridge in Bihar’s Aurangabad district late on Saturday night. Rohtas District Magistrate Deepak Kumar Mishra said authorities received information about the incident at around 10:30 pm, after which Kumar was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
Following an inquest, a medical board conducted the post-mortem under videography at Sasaram Sadar Hospital. Although the incident took place in Aurangabad district, police from both Aurangabad and Rohtas have launched a joint investigation. Officials said strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
As part of the investigation, Kumar’s driver has been taken into custody and is being questioned by Aurangabad Police.
Wife Alleges MLA Demanded Rs 25-50 Lakh
The case took a political turn after Vimal Kumar’s wife, Babita Devi, accused a local MLA of repeatedly harassing her husband and demanding money.
When Vimal Kumar’s body reached his residence at Ganga Kutir Apartment in Danapur after the post-mortem, the family broke down in grief. Speaking to the media, Babita Devi alleged that the MLA repeatedly summoned her husband for meetings and demanded money.
“Sometimes he would ask for Rs 50 lakh and sometimes Rs 25 lakh. My husband would say, ‘Where will we arrange such a huge amount from?'” she alleged.
She said Vimal Kumar never disclosed the details of his conversations with the MLA and would simply respond, “Yes, sir, yes, sir,” over the phone. According to her, the alleged pressure had left him deeply disturbed.
Babita said she repeatedly advised her husband to seek a transfer to a smaller town. “I always told him not to stay there and get posted somewhere smaller,” she said.
According to Babita, Vimal Kumar met the MLA on July 29. However, after returning home, he did not reveal what had transpired during the meeting. She now suspects that the meeting may have been linked to the events leading up to his murder. The MLA has not yet responded publicly to the allegations.
Family Questions Driver’s Role
A relative of the deceased also alleged that the driver’s role in the murder appeared suspicious and claimed he may have acted in connivance with others.
Babita said the first call she received after the incident was from the driver, who told her, “Madam, sir is no more. Men riding an Apache motorcycle have killed him.”
She questioned why the official vehicle had stopped during the alleged attack and what efforts the driver made to save her husband. According to her, the driver failed to provide satisfactory answers.
Demand For Narco Test, Fair Probe
Demanding a transparent investigation, Babita urged authorities to conduct narco-analysis tests on all suspects, including the driver, to uncover the complete truth. She said everyone involved in the murder should be identified and given the strictest punishment.
Breaking down in tears, Babita said government officials have become increasingly vulnerable. “It has almost become a trend to kill officials. Ministers and MLAs remain protected, but officials bear all the responsibility and face all the threats. They have become the weakest link,” she said.
Mourning At Danapur Residence
Vimal Kumar, a native of Sherghati in Gaya district, owned Flat No. 501 at Ganga Kutir Apartment on Gola Road in Danapur. Owing to his posting, he lived in government accommodation in Dehri’s Irrigation Colony, while his wife Babita and their two children stayed in Danapur.
The couple is survived by their seven-year-old daughter, Vaibhavi Vimal, and five-year-old son, Vivaan Vimal. After learning about the murder, Babita rushed to Aurangabad with the children. Residents of the apartment complex said the entire neighbourhood was in mourning following the incident.
Vimal Kumar had earlier served as the Executive Officer of Danapur Municipal Council from March 11, 2024, to June 2, 2024. Following news of his murder, residents staged a road blockade near the Danapur T-point, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.