The police in Patna, the capital of Bihar, have made a significant breakthrough in the murder investigation of businessman Gopal Khemka. According to sources, a shooter named Umesh Kumar has been arrested in the city, identified as a prime suspect in this sensational murder. While official confirmation is pending, the police are expected to make a major revelation on Tuesday.
Reports suggest that the arrested shooter Umesh Kumar has made several major disclosures during police interrogation. Following his leads, a raid was conducted in Udaygiri Apartments adjoining the Patna Kotwali police station where another individual was detained. In total, the SIT has detained three individuals. There is suspicion that Umesh may have been contracted for the murder and could possibly be the mastermind behind it.
This high-profile murder case has sent shockwaves throughout Bihar and the entire nation. On Friday night at 11:40 PM, Gopal Khemka was shot by miscreants on a motorbike near his residence in the Gandhi Maidan area. Just after returning from Bankipur Club and exiting his car, he was fired upon repeatedly. Despite being rushed to a hospital by his family, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The incident is all the more startling because in 2018, Gopal Khemka's son was also shot in a land dispute case in Hajipur. Now, the father too has been similarly targeted. It is known that Khemka had police protection earlier, which was withdrawn in April 2024, and he did not renew his request for security afterwards.
Following this incident, Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar convened an emergency meeting to review the law and order situation. He ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), emphasizing that the rule of law remains the NDA government's highest priority and that any negligence will not be tolerated. DGP Vinay Kumar informed that the investigation is being expedited under the meticulous supervision of senior police officials.
The site of the crime yielded one bullet and a cartridge. Some crucial leads have emerged based on technical and scientific evidence. The family accused the police of delayed response, but the DGP refuted this, explaining that it took about 30-35 minutes for the family to transport Khemka to a Kankarbagh hospital after the shooting.
The police were alerted from the hospital, leading senior officials to reach the crime scene by 12:40 AM. The possibility of involvement by an organized gang has not been ruled out. A search operation was conducted in Patna's Beur Jail, during which three mobile phones, a data cable, and a paper with mobile numbers were recovered.
Interrogations were also conducted with some inmates. The incident has sparked political controversy, with Union Minister Chirag Paswan condemning it strongly and questioning how such an act could occur mere meters from the Gandhi Maidan Police Station. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha met with Khemka's family, assuring stringent action.
