An early morning encounter erupted on Tuesday between Bihar Police and three suspects allegedly involved in the killing of Chandan Mishra at Patna’s Paras Hospital. Two of the accused were injured in the exchange of fire and are currently under police custody and receiving treatment, while a third was arrested at the scene.
According to Bihar Police, the shootout occurred around 5 a.m. along Katia Road, within the jurisdiction of Bihia police station in Bhojpur district. A joint team comprising the Special Task Force (STF) and local police had identified the suspects and instructed them to surrender. “Instead, the men opened fire, forcing the police to retaliate,” said a senior police official.
The injured have been identified as Balwant Kumar Singh and Raviranjan Kumar Singh. The third accused, Abhishek Kumar, was apprehended without injury. Authorities also recovered two pistols, a country-made firearm, two magazines, and four live cartridges from the site of the encounter.
During initial interrogation, the arrested men reportedly confessed to their role in the 17 July murder of Chandan Mishra, a parolee from Buxar, who was shot dead by a group of five armed men inside Patna’s Paras Hospital. Mishra had been admitted for laparoscopic surgery on 15 July. His parole was due to expire on 18 July.
According to The Indian Express, a police source revealed that Mishra’s father had identified some of the assailants from CCTV footage aired by news outlets, naming Tauseef Badshah alias Nasim, along with Balwant Singh and Monu Singh, all from Buxar.
In a separate operation coordinated with Kolkata Police, four additional suspects, including the alleged main shooter, Tauseef Badshah, were arrested on Sunday from a guest house near Anandapur Police Station in Kolkata. Following approval of a two-day transit remand by Kolkata’s Alipore court, the men were transferred to Patna on Monday. Three of the four were sent to judicial custody, while police secured a three-day remand for Tauseef.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya Sharma said Tauseef’s interrogation, beginning Tuesday, will focus on uncovering the broader conspiracy, including the motive and logistical support behind the attack.
Investigations have so far indicated that Tauseef and other conspirators gathered at the residence of his cousin, Nishu Khan, to plan the killing. Police allege that after the murder, Tauseef and Nishu, who is physically disabled, fled in Nishu’s vehicle, accompanied by his caretakers. Both men reportedly have criminal histories. Tauseef has previously been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Arms Act, and attempted murder charges. He was released on bail in 2024. Nishu, on the other hand, has pending cases related to extortion and firearms offences. He had sustained a spinal injury in 2023 following a personal dispute.
As reported by Indian Express, Chandan Mishra had over two dozen criminal cases against him, and preliminary findings suggest that the attack was masterminded by his former associate-turned-rival, Sheru Singh. Investigators believe a total of nine individuals were directly involved in the shooting, with several others assisting in surveillance and arms supply.
Background
Chandan Mishra, a convicted gangster from Buxar with over two dozen criminal cases, was serving a life sentence and was out on parole for medical treatment when he was gunned down inside Patna’s Paras Hospital on 17 July. The brazen attack, carried out by five armed men inside the hospital’s ICU, was captured on CCTV and has since triggered political outrage and concerns over law and order in Bihar. Mishra’s killing is believed to be the fallout of an internal gang rivalry, with investigators pointing to his former associate-turned-enemy Sheru Singh as the suspected mastermind. The murder has exposed a complex web of criminal networks operating across state lines, prompting a coordinated crackdown by Bihar Police and its Special Task Force.
