Bihar: Home guard killed, another injured in smuggling bid foil attempt in Gopalganj

Following a tip-off that a group might try to smuggle illegal liquor in a car from Uttar Pradesh, an excise department team was waiting at Balthari check post

Patna: A home guard was killed and another injured after they were allegedly attacked by unidentified men while attempting to foil a liquor smuggling bid in Bihar’s Gopalganj district early Saturday, police said.

Abhishek Pathak and another constable were shot at their head before the accused fled with the car. (Representative photo)

Following a tip-off that a group might try to smuggle illegal liquor in a car from Uttar Pradesh, a five-member team from the excise department was waiting to foil the smuggling bid at Balthari check post under the jurisdiction of the Vishwambharpur police station.

The excise police team spotted the suspected car at 4.15 am. “When asked to stop, the driver increased the car’s speed. The excise team chased and intercepted the car near Sipaya Engineering College,” an officer said.

Abhishek Pathak and another constable were shot at their head before the accused fled with the car. They were taken to the Gopalganj Sadar Hospital, where Pathak was declared dead on arrival.

“Jawan laid down his life while trying to stop a liquor smuggling bid. A team under the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) rank officer has been formed to hunt down the accused who were present in the car,” superintendent of police (SP) of Gopalganj Awadhesh Dixit said.

Meanwhile, an ex-Army man and Dial 112 driver, Umesh Pandey, was shot by unidentified armed men late Friday night in Chamanpura village, Gopalganj. Deployed with the Vishwambharpur police station, he was taken to Gorakhpur Medical College for treatment. Police said he was attacked after stepping out of his home, and the motive will be known after his statement is recorded.