Patna: The judicial inquiry into the controversial encounter death of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari has formally begun, with a commission-led team visiting the Bilauti village in the Shahpur block of Bihar’s Bhojpur on Thursday.
The inquiry team is led by retired High Court Justice Vinod Kumar Sinha, who was appointed to lead the judicial commission constituted by the Bihar government to conduct an independent investigation into the police encounter.
During the visit, Justice Sinha and other members of the commission met the family of Bharat Tiwari and gathered details about the incident.
The team also requested written submissions from family members to assist in examining the facts, evidence, and circumstances surrounding the case.
Speaking to the media, Justice Sinha said that this was the commission’s first field visit since the inquiry was initiated.
He added that the team had spoken with family members and local residents and had also inspected the location where the incident occurred.
According to Justice Sinha, the investigation will proceed after reviewing representations submitted by the family, official records, and other available evidence.
He emphasised that the inquiry would be conducted impartially and that all aspects of the case would be examined thoroughly.
Meanwhile, Bharat Tiwari’s mother, Asha Devi, reiterated her demand for justice and called for strict action against those found responsible for her son’s death.
She also renewed the family’s demand for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), expressing confidence that the judicial process would reveal the truth.
Several senior officials were present during the commission’s visit, including Deputy Inspector General of Police (Shahabad range) Satya Prakash, District Magistrate Tanay Sultania, and Superintendent of Police Raj.
The inquiry follows the Bihar Cabinet’s recent approval of a judicial commission to investigate the police encounter.
According to police records, Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was shot during an encounter on June 17 in Bilauti village under the Shahpur police station area and later died while undergoing treatment.
Police have said that officers opened fire in self-defence. However, family members dispute this account, alleging that Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was shot after discarding his weapon.
Authorities are expected to continue collecting evidence and witness statements as the judicial inquiry progresses.
(IANS)
