Bihar Shocker: Key Accused In Sultanganj Office Shooting Killed In Encounter, Probe Reveals Tender Dispute

Patna: Hours after a senior government officer was killed and other injured at the Sultanganj municipal office in Bihar`s Bhagalpur district, the main accused was killed on Wednesday in a police encounter.

The deceased accused, Ramdhani Yadav, is husband of the deputy chairperson of the Sultanganj municipal council, Neelam Devi. Yadav allegedly masterminded the shooting inside the civic body office in Sultanganj, leaving executive officer Krishna Bhushan Kumar dead and chairman of the Sultanganj municipal council, Rajkumar critically injured.

Bhagalpur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Pramod Kumar Yadav said the encounter took place when the police team reached a location identified by the accused for recovery of weapons and other materials used in the crime. He said that Yadav’s associates followed the police team and opened fire in an attempt to free the accused. Yadav also fired at police using the pistol that was to be recovered. Police also returned fire in self-defence, leaving Yadav injured as he died during treatment later. Three police personnel, DSP (law and order) Navneet Kumar, inspector Mrityunjay Kumar of Sultanganj and technical branch in-charge inspector Parmeshwar, were injured in the encounter, which lasted around 15 minutes. The injured police personnel are undergoing treatment at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Mayaganj.

The SSP said that two other accused had been arrested in connection with the case. One of them is Yadav’s brother-in-law. Both the accused have criminal antecedents.

On Tuesday evening, masked criminals barged into the chairman’s chamber inside the municipal council office and opened fire. While their main target was the chairman of Sultanganj municipal council, Rajkumar, criminals shot dead executive officer Krishna Bhushan Kumar when he challenged them. The officer was overpowered by criminals who dragged him out of the chamber and shot at him.

The chairman, who was critically injured in the shootout was initially admitted to a local hospital but was later referred to Patna for advanced treatment.

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Police said that as per the preliminary investigation, the chairman and the main accused’s wife, who is the deputy chairperson, were having a dispute over the tender allocation.

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the family of the deceased officer and said the last rites would be conducted with state honours.

Targeting NDA, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav wrote on 'X', "The criminal who carried out the broad daylight murder of a government official in Bhagalpur is Ramdhani Yadav, an NDA leader and BJP-protected thug, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's song ‘Marab Sixer Ki 6 Goli Chaati Mein’ (Pump six bullets into the chest). This criminal is close to BJP's national president Shri Nitin Nabin and several Union ministers, MPs, and MLAs."