Apolice officer involved in the Bharat Tiwari encounter case was apprehended on Friday. The arrested individual has been identified as Akshay.
This operation was conducted jointly by the Ara police and the Special Task Force (STF). Ara’s Superintendent of Police, Raj, confirmed that further legal actions and investigations are underway. This development emerged a few weeks after the police encounter that resulted in the death of 28-year-old Bharat Bhushan Tiwari on June 17 in Bhojpur district, Bihar.
Family Demands Justice and Security
Tiwari’s family had previously called for the arrest of the police personnel involved in the incident, the withdrawal of cases against villagers, and adequate security for themselves. A family member stated that Tiwari’s mother, Asha Devi, would continue her indefinite hunger strike until their demands were met. The family insisted that the arrests of Jagdishpur’s DSP Rajesh Sharma, Shahpur police station’s SHO Rajesh Kumar Malkar, SI Ankit Aryan, and STF officer Akshay Kumar be made.
Concerns Over Safety and Investigation
The family also urgently requested security and asked to be informed in advance before investigators arrive. They demanded the withdrawal of alleged cases filed against villagers following the police encounter. A Facebook Live video recorded shortly before the shooting showed Tiwari throwing his pistol towards the police officers, which has led to controversy surrounding the incident.
While the family claims that Tiwari had surrendered and was shot despite being unarmed, Bhojpur police maintain that he fired multiple rounds at the police team, prompting them to return fire in self-defense. Following the family’s complaints, Bihar police reportedly filed an FIR against Jagdishpur DSP, Shahpur SHO, and other officers for alleged wrongful killing. The investigation is ongoing.