Police in Bihar claim to crack Bunty Yadav murder, which stirred political row

Patna police on Tuesday said it had solved the abduction and murder of 25-year-old Bunty Yadav with the arrest of five accused. Investigators said the crime allegedly stemmed from a dispute over sharing proceeds from an alleged illicit liquor trade”

Opposition leaders had attacked the BJP-led Bihar government over the murder, with Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav accusing the administration of shielding criminals and failing to act despite evidence.

The RJD working president had alleged that Bunty was abducted near Patna Junction “after he opposed an alleged sex racket operating in the Karbigahiya area”. He claimed that despite CCTV footage of the incident, the police failed to trace the victim and instead reprimanded his family. Police have denied any links to a sex racket.

Tejashwi further alleged that following pressure from the party, police recovered the victim’s mutilated body and later informed the family. “It is clear that the police knew everything,” he claimed.

The case came to light after police received information on July 7 about the abduction of a man from the Kotwali police station area.

Patna Central Superintendent of Police Mamta Kalyani said that given the sensitivity of the case, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Law and Order-1), Patna, was constituted, with four specialised teams handling investigation, technical analysis, CCTV footage, call data and social media analysis, and raids.

“The FIR was registered on a complaint by Kiran Devi of New Karbigahiya, who alleged that her son, Bunty, was assaulted and abducted by Ravish Kumar alias BC, Rohit Kumar and six to seven unidentified persons near the Patna Junction milk market in the early hours of July 6,” she said.

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The mother told the police that Bunty, who ran a fast food stall, had gone there around 1 am to buy curd after closing his shop. The complaint also referred to a video of the alleged abduction.

On July 7, police arrested Rohit Kumar, Bajrangi Kumar and Ravi Kumar.

Meanwhile, Bunty’s body was recovered on July 11 from a field beneath the four-lane road in Athmalgola, where it had been buried under soil. Sources said heavy rainfall on the previous night exposed parts of the body, which was spotted by locals grazing buffaloes. Subsequently, the family was contacted and members identified the body through a bracelet.

Based on further investigation, two more people, Roshan Kumar and Ajit Kumar Sahni, were also arrested on July 13, with police recovering three mobile phones and Rs 28,000 in cash.

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Patna Central SP said interrogation of the arrested accused indicated the motive was “a dispute over the demand for a share in earnings from the illegal liquor business”. She added that no evidence supporting allegations of a prostitution racket had emerged, contradicting claims made earlier by the victim’s family.

According to police, Ravish allegedly operated an illicit liquor business with a person identified as Moni Kinnar, bringing liquor from Uttar Pradesh by train for sale in Bihar. “Bunty allegedly demanded a share of the illegal earnings, leading to repeated disputes, including one about a month before the incident,” the officer said.

Police alleged the accused conspired to abduct, assault and kill him before burying the body near the Mokama four-lane road.

Investigators claimed Rohit admitted being present during the assault and said Bunty was taken towards Tata Park and allegedly forced into an autorickshaw by Ravish and Ajit. Police said the statement forms part of the ongoing investigation.

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Meanwhile, the post-mortem found no gunshot injuries or pellets and indicated Bunty was beaten to death with heavy blunt objects. Sources said his face and limbs bore severe injuries, and a tattoo on his right hand had allegedly been deliberately disfigured.

Four police personnel have been suspended for alleged dereliction of duty after failing to notice or respond to the alleged abduction despite being deployed about 100 metres away. Police said departmental proceedings are underway. The police said that the investigation continues, and the main accused, Ravish Kumar alias BC, remains absconding.