Elderly man dies in firing during police action in Muzaffarpur village

Patna: A 60-year-old man died of a bullet injury during a clash between villagers and police in Asia village under Gaighat police station area in Muzaffarpur district in the early hours of Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Jagatveer Rai, 60. A bullet injury pierced his chest, killing him on the spot.

Locals, however, alleged that Rai was killed in police firing, while the administration said the exact cause of the firing that led to his death has not yet been established.

Muzaffarpur SSP Kantesh Kumar Mishra said a police team had gone to Asia village to arrest an accused in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. The case was linked to a 2023 incident in the same village in which a minor girl was allegedly forced to remove her clothes on suspicion of theft. Police later registered an FIR in the matter.

According to Mishra, when the police reached the village, the accused took shelter in someone else’s house and villagers began pelting stones at the police team. He said firing also took place from the other side during the confrontation.

“Three of our policemen were injured in the incident and are undergoing treatment in a hospital. Villagers are alleging that the man died in police firing, but that is yet to be ascertained as shots were fired from both sides,” Mishra said.