Patna, June 18: Tension gripped Bilauti village in Bihar’s Bhojpur district on Thursday after the death of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, who succumbed to injuries sustained during a police encounter a day earlier.

The incident has triggered widespread protests, with family members and villagers alleging that the police used excessive force and demanding an impartial investigation.

Bharat Bhushan Tiwari was injured during an encounter on Wednesday when a joint team of the Shahpur police and the Special Task Force (STF) attempted to arrest him following reports that he had been brandishing a firearm and allegedly firing at police personnel.

He was initially taken to Shahpur Referral Hospital before being referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where he later died during treatment.

However, the deceased’s family has strongly disputed the police version of events.

Speaking amid the protests, Bharat Bhushan’s mother questioned the circumstances of the encounter and accused the police of shooting her son despite his surrender.

“My son was dedicated to social welfare. He had surrendered, yet the police shot him. Why was he shot after surrendering?” she asked.

She further claimed that her son had been influenced by others and was not the owner of any licensed firearm.

“He had a hot temper, but someone from the village gave him the pistol and misled him. He surrendered, yet they fired five shots at him,” she alleged.

The grieving mother also described her son as someone who frequently helped people in the village and said the family was struggling to understand why such action was taken against him.

Anger over the incident spilled onto the streets as hundreds of villagers gathered near Bilauti village and blocked the Ara-Buxar four-lane highway.

Protesters placed the deceased’s body on the road and raised slogans against the police administration.

Witnesses estimated that between 1,000 and 1,500 people participated in the demonstration, causing major traffic disruptions and long queues of vehicles on both sides of the highway.

Villagers alleged that the encounter was staged and questioned the legality of the police action.

“There is no provision for killing a person who is surrendering. If someone wants to surrender in a case, can the police shoot him dead? An impartial inquiry must be conducted,” one protester said.

Another villager claimed that Bharat Bhushan had no criminal background and was known locally for social work.

The controversy comes days after a video allegedly showing Bharat Bhushan Tiwari brandishing a firearm went viral on social media.

According to police, officers initially visited his residence to investigate the video, during which he allegedly threatened personnel with a pistol.

Police stated that when officers returned with STF support to arrest him on Wednesday morning, he opened fire on the team, forcing them to retaliate in self-defence.

The encounter resulted in multiple gunshot injuries to Tiwari.

The incident has already led to departmental action. Following the circulation of videos from the operation, Shahabad Range DIG Dr Satyaprakash ordered the suspension of the Shahpur Station House Officer (SHO), along with a sub-inspector and a constable, citing alleged negligence and lapses in handling the situation.

Following Thursday’s protests, additional police personnel were deployed in the area to maintain law and order.

New Delhi, June 18: A proclaimed offender who was allegedly involved in an illegal arms trafficking case and had been evading arrest, was nabbed from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, police said on Thursday.

As part of its ongoing drive against proclaimed offenders and habitual criminals, the Special Staff team of the national Capital’s Shahdara district was actively gathering Intelligence regarding absconding accused persons wanted in various criminal cases.

On June 16, credible secret information was received that the proclaimed offender, identified as 35-year-old Punit alias Punjabi, was present in Khurja, in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh.

Verification of records revealed that the accused had been declared a proclaimed offender by the Patiala House Court in New Delhi, in connection with a 2013 case.

Upon receiving the information about the accused, a dedicated police team was constituted comprising SI Rajkumar, HC Nitin, Ct. Rudrapratap and Ct. Shekhar. The team functioned under the leadership of Inspector Ashish Kumar, I/C Special Staff, Shahdara District, under the close supervision of ACP/Operations, Shahdara District and overall supervision of DCP Shahdara.

The team immediately proceeded to Khurja in Bulandshahr and conducted sustained surveillance and field verification. Through meticulous efforts and strategic deployment, the team successfully located and apprehended the proclaimed offender.

According to investigators, the accused was taken into custody and legal proceedings under Section 35(1)(D) BNSS were initiated. He is being produced before the court for further legal action.

Officials revealed that the accused Punit alias Punjabi is a notorious and habitual culprit with a long criminal history. In 2013, he was arrested by the Special Cell, Delhi, in a major arms trafficking case wherein 10 illegal pistols along with 10 spare magazines were recovered from his possession.

Investigation at that time revealed his involvement in trafficking illegal firearms from Munger in Bihar to Delhi. The accused had subsequently absconded from legal proceedings and was declared a proclaimed person by the court.

The arrested accused was previously involved in eight criminal cases, including offences under the Arms Act, Attempt to Murder, House Trespass, Criminal Intimidation, Assault, and Dowry Prohibition Act.

Nagpur, June 18: The Nagpur Police have arrested a cleric who was allegedly involved in the forced religious conversion of a 24-year-old woman, the wife of an Indian Air Force officer. The accused, identified as Hazrat Maulana, was apprehended in Madhya Pradesh and brought into custody for questioning.

The case, which surfaced earlier this week, has attracted widespread attention due to the serious allegations made by the woman. In her complaint, she accused a former classmate and his several associates of sexual assault, blackmail, coercive religious conversion, and performing rituals claimed to be linked to black magic.

The controversy intensified after a video circulated widely on social media. The footage allegedly showed a man holding the woman by the hand while reciting religious verses. The video sparked outrage and led to increased scrutiny of the case.

According to NDTV, the principal accused, Ayaaz Madare (26), and his associate, Ameen Shaikh, are already in police custody. Investigators believe the arrested cleric played a significant role in the alleged conversion process and the conduct of a purported marriage ceremony.

As detailed in the FIR, the woman alleged that on February 8, 2025, she met Ayaaz at a hotel where he allegedly mixed an intoxicating substance into her drink. She claimed that after losing consciousness, compromising photographs and videos were taken without her consent. The accused allegedly used these materials to threaten her, warning that they would be shared with her husband and posted online. The woman further alleged that she was repeatedly subjected to sexual assault and forced to hand over nearly Rs 4 lakh.

In the viral video, the woman can reportedly be seen crying and pleading to be released while the accused recites verses and performs rituals. She claimed that following the incident, she was told that she had been converted against her will and that further attempts were made to sexually assault her.

The complainant also alleged that Ayaaz regularly forced her to consume a liquid from a plastic bottle. After drinking it, she claimed he would chant in Urdu, blow on her face, and describe the process as hypnosis or black magic before assaulting her.

Another incident mentioned in the complaint allegedly took place on May 31, when the woman was taken to Kalmeshwar by the accused and his associate. There, Hazrat Maulana allegedly conducted religious rituals and compelled her to utter “qubool hai” against her wishes. She stated that the cleric subsequently declared her conversion and performed a nikah ceremony with Ayaaz.

Police officials said further details are expected to emerge during the cleric’s interrogation. Investigators are now seeking documents related to the alleged marriage and examining whether additional individuals were involved. Authorities are also exploring whether similar incidents involving other women may have occurred.