Out on a drug bust, Bihar cop was cornered by locals. 2 days later, body found in river

Around 7.45 pm on November 5, Bihar Police constable Dhaneshwar Kumar called up his colleagues in Jehanabad to inform them about a tip-off he had received on a man allegedly involved in the purchase and sale of illegal arms and narcotic substances near SS College. Dhaneshwar was associated with Tiger Mobile – A bike patrolling unit of the state’s police force.

When two of his colleagues arrived, Dhaneshwar proceeded towards the college with them to verify the information and take necessary action. What followed was a run-in with a group of 10-15 people, an alleged assault on the police personnel, and the disappearance of Dhaneshwar. His body was recovered from the Dardha river two days later.

Four people have been arrested in the case and police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Dhaneshwar’s death and why his two colleagues did not inform the department about his disappearance earlier.

According to a police source, when Dhaneshwar and the other two personnel reached near SS College, they noticed a man attempting to flee. They chased and apprehended him. The man identified himself as Vicky Kumar.

“During interrogation about the alleged arms and narcotics trade, the man reportedly told them about weapons and narcotic substances that had been concealed in the bushes some distance ahead,” the source said.

“As Dhaneshwar moved towards the bushes, the apprehended man suddenly began shouting, ‘Thief! Thief!’ Within moments, around 10-15 people arrived at the spot, began abusing the policemen, and engaged in a scuffle with them,” the source said.

The group then managed to free Vicky and continued attacking the police personnel with sticks and other weapons.

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“Outnumbered by the attackers, the other two constables began retreating. They managed to reach their motorcycle, started it and moved some distance ahead, expecting their colleague to join them. However, Dhaneshwar did not turn up,” the source said.

“When they subsequently tried contacting him over his mobile phone, it was found switched off,” the source said, adding that it was only the following evening that the two constables approached Jehanabad Town police station.

On November 6, they submitted a written complaint against Vicky and 10-15 unidentified persons, seeking legal action for allegedly obstructing government duty, engaging in illegal arms and narcotics transactions, abducting and making Dhaneshwar disappear, and launching a murderous assault on police personnel.

An FIR was registered under rioting, wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, attempt to murder, assault on public servant, kidnapping, criminal intimidation, and others sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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On Saturday morning, police recovered the body of the missing constable from the Dardha river near Nadiyawan village under Kako police station area. Preliminary investigation pointed towards the possible involvement of people associated with the illegal drug trade.

Jehanabad Superintendent of Police Kota Kiran Kumar said the police received information about the disappearance of a constable deployed in the Mobile unit on November 6, following which an FIR was registered and an investigation initiated at the Town police station.

Police questioned suspects to establish what had happened to Dhaneshwar. “The questioning revealed that some local people had gathered, assaulted Dhaneshwar and thrown him into the Dardha river,” the SP said.

Police then searched the river and, on Saturday morning, recovered the body floating in the water near a ghat.

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“Four people have been arrested in this case so far. We are investigating exactly how many more people were involved and how the entire incident unfolded. As evidence emerges, appropriate legal action will be taken against those found responsible for the death,” the SP said.

The deceased constable was a native of Ara district and had been working in Jehanabad since around 2022-23, according to the police.