Chirag Paswan slams Bihar encounter, demands action against accused DSP
Synopsis
Union Minister Chirag Paswan did not mince words in Bilauti — calling the alleged killing of surrendered activist Bharat Tiwari by administrative officers a civilisational failure, and demanding the accused DSP's transfer be reversed. With Amit Shah already briefed, the pressure on Bihar's government is no longer just local.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Chirag Paswan met the family of slain activist Bharat Tiwari in Bilauti on Friday, 4 July .
Paswan condemned the alleged role of administrative officers, calling it 'completely unacceptable in any civilised society.' He questioned how firing could be justified after Bharat Tiwari had allegedly surrendered, calling it an unjustifiable encounter.
Jagdishpur DSP Rajesh Kumar Sharma , a named accused in the case, was reportedly transferred to the Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau — a move Paswan called 'completely wrong.' Paswan confirmed he had briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah and pledged to raise the DSP transfer issue with the Bihar Chief Minister .
He urged the public not to give the incident a religious or caste angle, saying 'crime is crime.'
Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday, 4 July visited Bilauti to meet the family of slain student and local activist Bharat Tiwari, sharply condemning the alleged role of administrative officers in his death and calling it 'completely unacceptable in any civilised society.'
Paswan's Condemnation
Addressing reporters after the family meeting, Paswan said, 'The way Bharat Tiwari was killed by some administrative officers is completely unacceptable in any civilised society or internal system. Those who are responsible for maintaining law and order, if they themselves take the law into their hands, then the people of Bihar will lose faith in the justice system.'
He demanded that the 'strictest punishment' be handed to officers who, he alleged, acted out of 'vested interests' in the killing. Paswan also urged the public to resist attempts to communalise or casteify the incident. 'Crime is crime. Anyone who tries to politicise such incidents on the basis of religion or caste is indulging in cheap politics,' he said.
Encounter Circumstances Questioned
Paswan directly challenged the justification offered for the alleged encounter, invoking the 'Rakshak–Bhakshak' (protector–predator) formulation. 'If a Rakshak becomes a Bhakshak, it is simply not acceptable. I fail to understand how firing can be justified after someone has already surrendered,' he said.
He maintained that had Bharat Tiwari committed any offence, due process required arrest and investigation — not a shooting. 'Once a person has surrendered, opening fire on him cannot be justified. Such actions should never become a precedent for the future,' Paswan added.
DSP Posting Draws Fire
Paswan reserved particular criticism for the reported transfer of Jagdishpur DSP Rajesh Kumar Sharma — a named accused in the Bharat Tiwari encounter case — to the Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau of the Bihar Police. 'If a person named in an FIR is being supported or promoted, it is completely wrong. I will also raise this issue with the Chief Minister,' he said.
Notably, Paswan confirmed he had already discussed the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and pledged that his party would continue pressing for justice. He also declined to comment directly on remarks made by former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi praising the Bhojpur Police, saying only that 'the incident was wrong.'
Political and Legal Fallout
The encounter has triggered a widening political storm in Bihar, with senior leaders across parties visiting the Tiwari family. The transfer of an FIR-named officer to a new posting has drawn accusations of shielding the accused. This comes amid a broader national debate on alleged fake encounters and police accountability, making the case a flashpoint beyond state politics.
With Paswan vowing to escalate the matter to the Chief Minister and continuing pressure from multiple party leaders, the Bihar government faces mounting demands for transparent action against the accused officers.
Point of View
Having already briefed the Home Minister. That Paswan felt compelled to visit the family in person — and name the DSP's transfer as an act of shielding — signals that internal pressure on the Bihar administration is far more acute than official statements suggest. The 'Rakshak–Bhakshak' framing is deliberate; it positions this not as a law-and-order failure but as a systemic accountability crisis. If the accused officer's posting is not reversed, the contradiction between the Centre's stated position and state action will become increasingly difficult to paper over.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bharat Tiwari and what happened to him?
Bharat Tiwari was a student and local activist whose death, allegedly at the hands of administrative officers in Bilauti, Bihar, has triggered a political controversy. According to Union Minister Chirag Paswan, Tiwari was killed after having surrendered, making the use of force unjustifiable under law.
Why did Chirag Paswan visit Bharat Tiwari's family?
Paswan visited the family in Bilauti on Friday, 4 July, to express condolences and assure them of his party's continued pursuit of justice. He condemned the alleged encounter and said senior party leaders had also visited the family.
What is the controversy surrounding DSP Rajesh Kumar Sharma?
Jagdishpur DSP Rajesh Kumar Sharma is a named accused in the Bharat Tiwari encounter case. Despite being named in an FIR, he was reportedly transferred to the Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau of the Bihar Police — a move Paswan publicly criticised as shielding the accused.
Has the Centre been informed about the Bharat Tiwari encounter case?
Yes. Chirag Paswan confirmed he had already discussed the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He also pledged to raise the issue of the accused DSP's transfer directly with the Bihar Chief Minister.
What did Chirag Paswan say about the political response to the incident?
Paswan urged people not to give the incident a religious or caste angle, saying 'crime is crime' and that anyone politicising it on such lines was 'indulging in cheap politics.' He also declined to comment on specific remarks by former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, but maintained the incident was wrong.
