Bihar Home Guard shot dead inside Bhojpur police barracks; suspect on the run: Police

Bhojpur superintendent of police Awadhesh Dixit said it was yet to be determined whether this was a case of accidental firing or murder.

A 25-year-old Home Guard personnel was shot dead inside the barracks of Sandesh police station in Bihar’s Bhojpur district late on Sunday night, police said on Monday.

Police said an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances under which the firearm was discharged. (Unsplash)

The deceased, identified as Monal Kumar Rai, was struck in the chest by a bullet fired from a .303 service rifle by a colleague, who fled the scene immediately after the incident and remains absconding.

Bhojpur superintendent of police (SP) Awadhesh Dixit said it was yet to be determined whether this was a case of accidental firing or murder. He added that Rai and the suspect hail from the same panchayat, but there was no known history of a dispute between them.

Police said the incident took place at the Sandesh police station barracks around 10.15 pm on Sunday.

Dixit said the bullet struck Rai on the right side of the chest when his colleague’s .303 service rifle went off. He was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries on his way to hospital.

Police said an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances under which the firearm was discharged.

“We are conducting a very detailed investigation into all the reasons behind the incident. We have preserved the place of occurrence, the barracks, and the firearm from which the shot was fired. In addition, we have called the forensic experts,” Dixit said, adding that the police would be able to reach a conclusion about the incident after the autopsy and forensic reports come in.

Rai was recruited into the Home Guards in 2025. After postings at Khawaspur police station, Narayanpur police station, and Ara Sub-Divisional Jail, he was transferred to the Sandesh police station approximately a month ago.