IMPORTANT EVIDENCE DELETED

IMPORTANT EVIDENCE DELETED

15-JULY-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------A new twist has emerged in the alleged encounter case of Bharat Tiwari from Bhojpur, raising serious questions amidst public curiosity. The final Facebook Live video of Bharat Tiwari—who was killed in an alleged police encounter in Bilauti village (under the Shahpur police station area) on June 17—is no longer available on his official Facebook page. This video was considered the most crucial piece of evidence in the entire episode, and its sudden disappearance has fueled intense speculation, ranging from social media discussions to local conversations.

Since Bharat Tiwari's death, public interest in his social media profile has surged unexpectedly. While a judicial inquiry into the encounter is underway and the commission is recording witness statements, his digital footprint is becoming something of a mystery. According to official figures, the Facebook page—which previously had only a few thousand followers—has now seen its follower count rise to over 271,000. This growth testifies to the depth of public interest in the case and the desire to piece together the events surrounding his final moments.

According to local residents and friends, Bharat Tiwari was highly active on social media. He frequently used Facebook Live to share his daily routine, travels, and candid opinions on social issues. For Bharat, Facebook Live was not merely a platform but a vital means of communication; he would often go live to directly address the administration or discuss local issues. True to this habit, he conducted a live broadcast on the day of the incident, which became a vivid record of his final moments.

Villagers state that Bharat Tiwari always carried his mobile phone, and recording and sharing videos of unfolding events was an integral part of his way of doing things. Ever since the video from the day of the alleged encounter—showing him surrendering after discarding his weapon—went viral, it has been regarded as the most crucial piece of evidence for those demanding justice. Now, the disappearance of that video from the Facebook page raises various suspicions. Whether this is due to a technical glitch, Facebook's policies, or a deliberate act of deletion is a matter for investigation.

Another aspect of this entire situation is that dozens of fake Facebook pages have been created in Bharat Tiwari's name to capitalize on his popularity. Many such pages, run by his fans and supporters, share his old videos. However, the disappearance of this final piece of digital evidence from his own page—is it a technical error or a calculated conspiracy to destroy evidence? Meanwhile, the surging tide of public sentiment on social media and the massive engagement on his page clearly indicate that a large section of society is in no mood to tolerate any kind of cover-up in this matter.