HE COLLAPSED AFTER SHOUTING ‘JAI HIND’: LALITA DEVI

HE COLLAPSED AFTER SHOUTING ‘JAI HIND’: LALITA DEVI

15-JULY-ENG 12

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------The judicial inquiry into the high-profile alleged encounter of Bharat Tiwari has reached a crucial stage. During the third day of hearings before the inquiry commission, Bharat Tiwari's brother, Chandan Tiwari, and Lalita Devi—an alleged eyewitness to the incident—presented their versions of events. Both were questioned in detail about the sequence of events on the day of the incident.

Speaking to the media after testifying, Chandan Tiwari claimed he had detailed the entire incident before the commission. According to him, the commission asked why shots were fired if Bharat Tiwari had already surrendered to the police. Chandan stated that Bharat had laid down his weapon but was subsequently taken a short distance away and shot.

Demanding strict action, arrest, and the death penalty for the guilty police personnel, he expressed faith in the judicial process but voiced dissatisfaction over the fact that no arrests have been made so far. The judge assured him that action would be taken against the guilty and that they would be arrested as soon as possible.

"We have faith in the court. The process is currently underway. No arrests have been made yet; we cannot say anything specific. Testimonies from 25 people are yet to be recorded. The government is not taking the matter seriously. We have faith in the Government of India, but absolutely no faith in the Bihar government." — Chandan Tiwari, brother of Bharat Tiwari.

Meanwhile, eyewitness Lalita Devi claimed before the commission that her statement reflected exactly what she had seen with her own eyes. According to her, the police first asked Bharat Tiwari to lay down his weapon and assured him that his demands would be met. She claimed that Bharat threw away his pistol, after which the police took him a short distance away, followed by the sound of gunfire.

She further claimed that after being shot, Bharat shouted "Jai Hind," after which the police dragged him into a vehicle and took him away. Lalita Devi expressed hope that the commission would deliver justice and described Bharat Tiwari as someone who helped the village's poor.

"I saw with my own eyes that Bharat was shot three times. I told the judge exactly that. We were all sitting near a hut when an administration vehicle arrived and warned us to move away or risk getting shot. We took the children and went inside the hut. Bharat demanded that his demands be met. After receiving assurances, he put down his pistol. That was when he was shot. I witnessed it all." — Lalita Devi, eyewitness and resident of Javaniya village.

Lalita said that Bharat Tiwari was like a god to them; he always came to their aid. When the embankment collapsed, he helped with everything, including rations. They had been allotted a plot in a 10-foot-deep pit that was waterlogged, and he was fighting to get it filled in. There was no electricity, so he arranged for it; there were no handpumps, so he had those installed as well.

It is worth noting that Bharat Tiwari's parents, sister-in-law, and other witnesses from the village have already presented their accounts to the commission. So far, the testimonies of seven people have been recorded, out of a total of 25 witnesses scheduled to testify. All eyes are now on what conclusions the inquiry commission draws based on these testimonies and whether any new twists emerge in this high-profile case.

On June 17, 2026, the Bhojpur police shot Bharat Tiwari in an alleged encounter in Bilauti village, under the jurisdiction of the Shahpur police station. His family alleged that he had already discarded his weapon but was shot at close range regardless. The police, however, claim that the shot was fired in self-defense. A judicial inquiry commission has been entrusted with the task of conducting an impartial investigation into the matter.