Bharat Bhushan Tiwari Encounter Case: Is the Post-Mortem Report Being Withheld to Conceal Allegations of Gunshot Injuries to His Private Parts?

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Eight days after the death of 26-year-old Bharat Bhushan Tiwari following a controversial police operation in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, public attention has shifted from the encounter itself to another question that continues to dominate local discussions: why has the post-mortem report not yet been made public?

The death of the Bilauti village resident in Shahpur police station limits has developed into one of Bihar’s most politically sensitive law-and-order controversies in recent months. What initially began as a police action against a young man allegedly carrying a weapon has now turned into a wider debate over police accountability, transparency and the state’s handling of encounter cases.

According to an official press release issued by Bhojpur police shortly after the incident, officers fired in self-defence and to protect civilians during the operation on June 17. Police maintained that a bullet struck Bharat Bhushan Tiwari in the leg during the exchange and that he later died while undergoing treatment.

However, the delay in releasing the post-mortem findings has triggered intense speculation among residents, activists and supporters of the deceased.

Family members and local sources have alleged that Bharat Bhushan Tiwari sustained multiple gunshot injuries and that some of those injuries may not match the initial police account of a single bullet wound to the leg. Among the most serious allegations being raised is the claim that gunshot injuries were inflicted on his private parts during the operation.

These allegations have not been independently verified, and authorities have neither confirmed nor denied them publicly. The post-mortem report, which could potentially clarify the nature, number and location of injuries, had still not been released as of June 25.

For critics of the administration, the absence of the medical report has become almost as controversial as the encounter itself. They argue that public disclosure of the findings would help address conflicting claims and restore confidence in the investigation, while continued delays risk fuelling speculation and deepening public mistrust surrounding the case.

The Bihar government has already acknowledged serious concerns regarding the police operation. Three days after the incident, authorities suspended five police personnel, including the Shahpur Station House Officer. The administration also registered a murder case against the concerned Sub-Divisional Police Officer, the SHO and other police personnel after receiving a complaint from Bharat’s mother, Asha Devi. Despite the FIR, no arrests of the accused officers had been reported by June 25.

In an attempt to reassure the public, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced a judicial inquiry headed by a retired High Court judge. Writing on social media, the chief minister said the government had decided to order an independent and impartial investigation to ensure transparency and examine every aspect of the incident fairly.

“The objective of the judicial inquiry is to ensure an unbiased and transparent investigation into all aspects of the incident,” the chief minister stated.

For Bharat’s family, however, the government’s announcements have done little to ease their anger or grief.

His father, Kashinath Tiwari, alleges that he had approached Shahpur police earlier regarding his son’s behaviour and possession of a firearm but found himself held at the police station for several hours on the day of the operation.

“I kept requesting them to let me go home and allow me to speak to my family members, but nobody listened,” he claimed. He further said he watched police personnel preparing for the operation by wearing bulletproof jackets before leaving the station, unaware that he would later receive news of his son’s death.

Bharat’s mother, Asha Devi, has emerged as one of the strongest voices demanding accountability. She alleges that she witnessed the firing during the police action and insists that her son was not treated fairly.

Speaking emotionally about the incident, she claimed that police first used force against her son before opening fire. She also alleged that she and her daughter-in-law faced police action while trying to intervene. These allegations remain part of the ongoing investigation and have not been confirmed by the judicial inquiry or by official findings.

According to the family, Bharat had been engaged in raising local issues and had been demanding development work in nearby villages. His mother claimed that shortly before the firing, discussions had taken place regarding some of those demands. Police have not publicly commented on these claims.

The case had already attracted attention before the encounter because of Bharat’s social media activity. Several of his videos showed criticism of local administration and government functioning. In one post, he reportedly made threatening remarks directed at a police officer, comments that gained traction online and prompted police intervention.

Police officials later stated that officers attempted to persuade him to surrender peacefully but alleged that he produced a pistol during the confrontation. Earlier police statements also described him as mentally unstable, a description that has itself become a subject of criticism and debate following the encounter.

Additional Director General of Police Sudhanshu Kumar, speaking publicly on June 22, acknowledged lapses in the handling of the situation. He described the incident as an example of police negligence and suggested that officers who initially engaged with Bharat on June 16 failed to manage the situation appropriately.

His remarks marked one of the first signs from senior police leadership that procedural mistakes may have contributed to the tragedy.

As the judicial inquiry prepares to begin its work, the missing post-mortem report continues to cast a shadow over the government’s response. For supporters of the family, transparency over the medical findings is essential to establishing the sequence of events. For the administration, the report could prove crucial in defending or challenging the original police account.

Until those findings enter the public domain, the Bhojpur encounter is likely to remain not only a criminal investigation but also a political test for Bihar’s government, police leadership and promises of accountability.