Latest news with #GopalKhemka
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bihar government set up cell to maintain data bank of Supari killers
Learning a lesson from the murder of industrialist Gopal Khemka by giving Supari (contract) to criminal, Bihar Police's Special Task Force (STF) on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) decided to set up a 'cell' to maintain a data bank of the contract killers operating in the state. Talking to reporters at police headquarters in Patna, Additional Director General (ADG) (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan said that it has been witnessed that some of the youths have been found indulging in contract killers for money. 'A new cell has been constituted to keep a tab on contract killers. A data bank of these contract killers will be maintained to check their activities in future,' Mr. Krishnan said. He added that a 'dossier' will be prepared of each contract killer and the cell will keep their physical description, photograph, along with their name, address and other details so that their movement can be tracked even after coming out of jail. Even police personnel in districts have been asked to keep a tab on such contract killers. 'Police have identified 1290 persons who have acquired proceeds of crime and their assets will be seized soon,'Mr. Krishnan said. He also informed that the state police have also sent its proposal for starting Fast Track Courts (FTCs) to ensure speedy trial to achieve conviction in heinous crime cases. Mr. Krishnan pointed out that the Narcotics Cell under STF is already functional but to strengthen it further, police are planning to set up a separate 'narcotics & prohibition division' for which a proposal will be sent to the state cabinet. He stressed that the move would help in taming the problem of opium, heroin, smack and other psychotropic substances being used by the youths of the state. Talking about murders that took place recently in the state, Krishnan said that the statistics does not suggest that the average crime graph has witnessed an increase. 'This is an election year and a narrative is being built through misinformation and disinformation. No one should try to demoralise the police department as it has always identified and taken action against 'black sheep's,'Mr. Krishnan said. Meanwhile, the Bihar Police also suspended a station house officer (SHO) for dereliction of duty in connection with the murder of Patna based industrialist Gopal Khemka. The order of suspension of Gandhi Maidan Police Station SHO Rajesh Kumar was issued by Patna Inspector General (IG) Jitendra Rana. Mr. Khemka was murdered on July 4 night outside his house under the jurisdiction of Gandhi Maidan police station which was 300 meters from the spot. Earlier relatives and family members of Mr. Khemka had alleged that the police had reached the spot after one and half hours of the incident after the shooter fled. 'When the incident took place, I had given the order to investigate the role of the local police and in the investigation the Patna SSP found that Gandhi Maidan SHO did not perform his duty. If there would be any more officers involved, action would be taken accordingly,' Mr. Rana said while speaking to the media. In the case, police have already arrested the shooter Umesh Yadav and mastermind Ashok Sao who had given the Supuri (contract) of Rs 4 lakh to kill the industrialist who was also earlier associated with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Police form new cell to monitor contract killers
1 2 3 Patna: In the wake of a recent surge in killings by shooters, including high-profile murders like that of businessman Gopal Khemka and advocate Jitendra Mehta in Patna, Bihar Police Headquarters (PHQ) on Wednesday announced the formation of a special "Contract killer monitoring cell" to tackle professional hitmen. Additional Director General (ADG) of PHQ Kundan Krishnan said the new cell, formed under the Bihar Special Task Force (STF), will maintain a comprehensive database of approximately 350 known contract killers, with their physical descriptions, addresses and other crucial details. "This database will aid in the quick identification of suspects through CCTV camera footage analysis, a method that has proven successful in recent cases," he said. The move is expected to enhance the police's ability to prevent and solve such crimes through better intelligence gathering and interstate coordination. The police have already established a "Kodha cell" to monitor the Kodha gang, whose operations extend beyond Bihar. The gang members primarily originate from three to four villages in the Kodha block of Katihar district. The cell helps other state police forces identify the Kodha gang members. "Our intelligence unit, working with the Kodha Cell, has successfully solved 50 cases this year alone, both within Bihar and in other states, leading to the arrest of 70 criminals and recovery of more than Rs 55 lakh in criminal proceeds," said Krishnan. Additionally, in a significant breakthrough in an ongoing anti-Maoist operations, the Bihar STF arrested 82 Maoists this year till July 15. Besides, two wanted Maoist leaders, including Ravan's aide and spokesperson Akhilesh Singh, have surrendered. The continuous campaign has achieved a remarkable success in north Bihar, where their presence is completely eliminated. In Magadh zone, only one wanted Maoist Nitesh Yadav remains at large, currently believed to be hiding in the hilly regions of Palamu district in Jharkhand. The JB zone reports only three armed Maoists remaining, the ADG said. "The campaign has also dealt a significant blow to the Maoists' financial resources by destroying opium cultivation fields in the Magadh region, severely disrupting their supply network," Krishnan added. During various raids, security forces recovered significant arms and ammunition, including two semi-automatic rifles and 67 PMK (machine gun).
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
SHO suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with Gopal Khemka's murder
The Bihar Police on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) suspended a station house officer (SHO) for dereliction of duty in connection with the murder of Patna-based industrialist Gopal Khemka. The order of suspension of Gandhi Maidan Police Station SHO Rajesh Kumar was issued by Central Range (Patna) Inspector General (IG) Jitendra Rana, an officer said. "Gandhi Maidan PS SHO was suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the murder of industrialist Gopal Khemka," Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma told PTI. There are other cases in which the SHO's investigation was found unsatisfactory, the SSP said. Khemka was shot dead outside his residence in Patna by a motorcycle-borne assailant at 11.40 pm on July 4, seven years after miscreants had gunned down his son in Hajipur. The incident had taken place near the gate of Khemka's house in the Gandhi Maidan locality as he was about to alight from his car. Later, the police arrested two persons, including the gunman, in connection with the incident. Khemka was reportedly associated with the BJP.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Rahul Gandhi attacks NDA government in Bihar with 'crime capital' barb, deputy CM promises 'bulldozer action'
PATNA: A 25-year-old youth was killed and another seriously injured when a group of armed men opened fire in Bihar's Begusarai district on Monday, triggering Opposition questions on the law-and-order situation during NDA rule. At least seven individuals, including prominent businessman Gopal Khemka and a BJP functionary, Surendra Kewat, have been killed in state in just 10 days. 'Bihar has become the crime capital of India,' declared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on X on Monday. Rahul, who is also the leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, citing media reports, also claimed that 31 murders took place in 11 days and alleged 'contract killing industry' in the state. Sharpening his attack on Bihar`s NDA government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on 'X', 'Bihar has become the 'Crime Capital of India' - fear in every alley, unease in every home! Unemployed youth are being turned into killers by the reign of goons. The CM is busy saving his seat, while BJP ministers are raking in commissions. I'm repeating again - this time, the vote is not just to change the government, but to save Bihar.' Nitish's deputy and senior BJP leader, Vijay Kumar Sinha, said that the state government has taken strict action to prevent criminal activities. He asserted that criminals would face bullets, and their properties would be confiscated if they were found indulging in any unlawful activity, even as the 'Operation Langda' against outlaws continues unabated.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
As Bihar heads to polls, crime wave fuels law and order concerns
Back-to-back killings targeting businessmen, politicians, lawyers, teachers and ordinary citizens have raised serious concerns about Bihar's law and order, with police blaming the surge on the widespread availability of illegal firearms and ammunition. Over the past 10 days, a string of killings - including those of businessman Gopal Khemka, BJP leader Surendra Kumar, a 60-year-old woman, a shopkeeper, a lawyer, and a teacher - has rocked the poll-bound state. According to the latest State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) data, the state recorded 1,376 murders with an average of 229 each month between January and June, compared to 2,786 in all of 2024 and 2,863 in 2023. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote According to senior police officers, proliferation of firearms, which are illegally manufactured or procured without a valid license, coupled with unchecked availability of ammunition, have contributed to the recent spurt in violent crimes. Bihar has consistently ranked among the top-five states in terms of violent crimes, including those involving firearms, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures. The state has held second position in violent crime rate in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022, NCRB data said. Live Events Talking to PTI, DGP Vinay Kumar, said, "Land disputes and property matters are the main reasons behind most of the killings. In such cases, role of police is limited and it starts after the crime takes place. Our force has achieved 100 per cent detection rate". The DGP, however, claimed that organised crime has come down compared to last year. "Proliferation of firearms, illegally manufactured or procured without valid licenses, coupled with unchecked availability of ammunition are issues which are being looked into by the authorities", he said. "A state with such a large population, having over 60 per cent population under the age of 30 and unemployed, is bound to be vulnerable to law and order problems", Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan said. "To check violent crimes, there is a need to plug the gaps in the existing system and standardise the process of issuing arms licenses," Krishnan, who is also the ADG of the Special Task Force (STF) of Bihar Police, told PTI. According to the National Database of Arms Licenses-Arms License Issuance System (NDAL-ALIS) portal (Ministry of Home Affairs), Bihar has 82,326 firearms holders and 77,479 active arms licences. Out of 141 licensed arms dealers in the state, only 114 are operational, while 27 have been found inoperative. "This poses a serious threat of misuse. We have brought the matter to the notice of the authorities concerned. Licenses of such dealers must be suspended," Krishnan said. An analysis of district-wise firearm licences in relation to population reveals that Bhojpur has the highest density, with 205 firearms and 196 licensees per lakh population, surpassing Patna, which has 161 firearms and 156 licences per lakh. SCRB data further shows Patna as the leading district in Arms Act cases, averaging 321.7 cases annually, followed by Begusarai (167.7), Muzaffarpur (158.3), Nalanda (117.9), and Vaishali (117.8). In the last 10 years, the number of recovered country-made firearms has more than doubled from 2,356 in 2015 to 4,981 in 2024, it said. A correlation between arms Act cases and violent crimes shows Patna again topping the list, averaging 82 violent incidents annually, followed by Motihari (49.53), Saran (44.08), Gaya (43.50), Muzaffarpur (39.93), and Vaishali (37.90). "Most violent crimes in the state involve the use of firearms. However, ammunition used in these crimes are manufactured by licensed industrial units. Therefore, the identity of the 25 inoperative arms dealers out of 138 listed in the state can be exploited by criminals to illegally procure arms/ammunition", the ADG added. Talking to PTI, Jitendra Rana, Inspector General (IG) of central range (Patna), said, "It is not true to say that gun-related violence has increased in Patna. Yes, it is true that some sensational murder cases have taken place. But, the accused have also been arrested in those cases and arms and ammunition were also recovered". Commenting on the surge in violent cases, Abhayanand, former DGP, told PTI, "I must say that the existing criminal justice system is not able to match up to the crime. The legislature must make laws to give more power to police to check such crimes effectively". Reacting to surge in crimes, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in a post on X said, "If the crumbling law and order and rampant corruption in Bihar aren't making anyone angry in the state, then we must say that the person's sense of justice and human compassion has died. Ignoring the government's failures and public sentiments in the name of caste and religion is disastrous for Bihar and the people of the state. Under the NDA's rule, 65,000 murders have taken place so far !!! Does the unconscious Chief Minister dare to make a statement on any such incident?". Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha recently told reporters that, "Increasing criminal incidents involve the sand mafia, land mafia and liquor mafia. These mafias are linked to the RJD. RJD members want to spread anarchy in Bihar before the elections".
