Bihar DSP Named In Bharat Tiwari Encounter FIR Gets Fresh Posting, Family Cries Cover-Up

Patna: The then DSP of Jagdishpur in Bhojpur against whom an  FIR was lodged following a controversial police encounter in which a youth Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was killed has been given a new posting, shocking Bharat's family members.

The then DSP of Jagdishpur, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, who is a named accused in the Bharat Tiwari encounter case, has been posted as a DSP in the Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau of Bihar Police.

Shocked over the new posting to Sharma, Bharat's mother, Asha Devi, said that it only showed the government wanted to hush up the encounter that took place even after his son surrendered to the police. She also appealed to all those who demanded justice for Bharat to come forward and prevent the government from hushing up the matter. Bharat's brother, Chandan Tiwari, also alleged that the government wanted to hush up the "fake encounter" somehow.

On June 17, Bharat Tiwari was killed in a joint operation by STF and district police at Bilauti village under Shahpur police station limits in Bhojpur district. As the controversy grew, Sharma was removed from his post (DSP, Jagdishpur) on June 24 and attached to police headquarters. Subsequently, a murder case was registered at Shahpur police station against him, the then station house officer (SHO) Rajesh Malakar, and other police personnel. Rajesh Sharma is a named accused in the FIR. A murder case has been registered against him under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The family alleged that despite serious accusations against the police officers involved in the encounter, no strict action had been taken against them so far. They claimed that unless action was taken against the senior officers connected to the case, it would be difficult to ensure a fair investigation.