A intense gunbattle erupted between local authorities and criminals near the Parev Son river area under the Bihta police station jurisdiction near Patna, Bihar, in the early hours of Saturday. Police had rushed to the location acting on intelligence inputs regarding armed criminals extorting money via boats in connection with illegal sand mining operations. Upon arrival, both sides exchanged heavy gunfire, turning the riverbank into a battlefield as roughly 62 rounds were fired during the encounter. Law enforcement personnel discharged 22 rounds, while the criminals fired approximately 40 rounds. The fierce exchange left three police personnel injured along with one of the suspects.
Among the injured officers, Sub-Inspector Raju Kumar sustained a bullet wound to his arm, while station house officer Amit Kumar and assistant station house officer Vikesh Kumar also suffered injuries during the operation. Meanwhile, a criminal identified as Anish sustained a gunshot injury and was promptly admitted to a hospital for medical treatment. Sub-Inspector Raju Singh was similarly rushed to a nearby facility for initial medical care. Police successfully apprehended the notorious criminal Anish at the scene, though three of his accomplices managed to flee. Authorities recovered a substantial cache of weapons, live ammunition, and a boat utilized in the illegal activities from the site.
Extortion operations run through boats on the river
Criminal elements had been operating boats along the Parev Son river stretch to extort money from locals and businesses. Upon receiving this intelligence, police launched an immediate operation to nab the culprits. As the patrol team approached the spot, the suspects opened fire without warning. In self-defense and to maintain law and order, police returned fire, echoing the riverbank with continuous gunfire. The arrested individual was identified as Anish Kumar, son of Rambabu Rai, hailing from Maner. According to police records, the accused faces four serious criminal cases, and notably, his name has previously surfaced in a case involving an AK-47 assault rifle.
Following the shootout, a thorough search of the area led to the seizure of a country-made rifle, a country-made carbine, a country-made pistol, two country-made pistols (katta), around 25 rounds of live cartridges, and the boat used in the crime. Police revealed that three other members of this criminal syndicate managed to escape toward Ara, and extensive raids are currently underway to track them down. Law enforcement is interrogating the arrested suspect to uncover the broader network and identify any remaining associates involved in the extortion racket.
City SP inspects the site as search operations continue
Upon receiving news of the violent confrontation, City SP Sanket Kumar rushed to the location to assess the situation firsthand. The operation involved key contributions from Station House Officer Amit Kumar and SHO Vikas Kumar, who spearheaded the police response. Senior officials reviewed the seized contraband, which notably included heavy firearms such as a carbine, pointing to the organized nature of the gang. The initial tip-off regarding boat-based extortion quickly escalated into a major armed encounter, resulting in injuries on both sides and the recovery of illicit weapons.
With one criminal behind bars and three others at large, search operations involving riverbanks and surrounding sectors remain active as authorities hunt for the remaining fugitives. Police are leveraging information obtained from the captured suspect to dismantle the criminal network entirely. The incident underscores ongoing challenges regarding illegal river operations and extortion rackets in the region, prompting heightened security and continued police vigilance.
