PATNA: Two shooters involved in the murder of hardcore criminal Chandan Mishra were wounded during an exchange of gunfire with the special task force (STF) in Bihiya of Bhojpur district, officers confirmed on Tuesday. The police apprehended another suspect in connection with the case.The police encounter took place around 6 am on the Bihiya-Kateya road along the river in Arrah city, during a joint operation by the STF and local police. The accused sustained injuries in the ensuing exchange. Officials identified the wounded suspects as Balwant Kumar Singh (22), a resident of Liladharpur in Buxar district, and Raviranjan Kumar Singh (20) from Chakdahi village of Bhojpur. The police also arrested Abhishek Kumar of Parsiya village in Buxar for his alleged involvement in the murder.The STF officials said they received information that three criminals involved in the gangster Mishra’s murder case were in the Bihiya police station area. “The team surrounded them near Katia Road in the early hours on Tuesday. When the police asked the criminals to surrender, they started firing at the police force. In retaliatory firing, Balwant sustained bullet shots in his hand and leg while Raviranjan received bullet injuries on his thigh. Abhishek was arrested,” the officials said.Both the injured were first taken to Ara Sadar hospital for treatment under tight security. Later, the doctors referred them to the PMCH in Patna. “During interrogation of the criminals, it was revealed that these people were involved along with other criminals in the murder incident that took place at Paras Hospital in Patna,” the police said.Mishra, who was convicted and facing a life sentence in a 2011 murder case, was out on medical parole when he was killed. A purported CCTV footage of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed five armed men entering room number 209 of the hospital in Patna’s Shastri Nagar police station area and opening fire at Mishra on July 17. Balwant was identified as the third shooter in the footage while Raviranjan was the fifth shooter.Patna police earlier arrested four criminals, including the main shooter Tauseef alias Badshah, who was leading the group of four assailants in the hospital. His cousin Nishu Khan and their two associates, Bhim and Harsh, were arrested along with Tauseef from Kolkata’s guesthouse in Anandapur police station area on July 19, with the help of Kolkata police and Bengal STF. They were produced in the ACJM IX court on Monday after the Patna police brought them on transit remand from Kolkata.The court granted three-day custody of Tauseef, a resident of Phulwarisharif, starting from Tuesday. The other accused were sent for judicial custody.
