Patna Police Arrest One After Son River Gunfight; 62 Rounds Fired

Patna Police arrested a suspect early Sunday following a gunfight with a gang accused of extorting local boatmen along the Son River. The confrontation, which took place around dawn, saw a total of 62 rounds fired between the two sides.

According to Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikey Kumar Sharma, the operation was launched after police received information about illegal mining and the intimidation of boatmen for protection money. A special team was formed under senior officials to act on the tip-off.

As the police team moved in, they spotted the suspects approaching by boat, allegedly to collect extortion money. When officers signaled them to stop, the criminals opened fire, prompting the police to retaliate in self-defence.

During the exchange, one suspect, identified as Aneesh Kumar, sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. He was taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Two police personnel were also injured: Sub-Inspector Raju Kumar Singh was hit in the arm, and Bihita police station SHO Amit Kumar suffered a head injury.

SSP Sharma said approximately 40 rounds were fired from the criminals' side and about 22 from the police. While some of the gang members jumped into the river and escaped, their associate Piyush Kumar was arrested from the boat.

Both arrested men have prior criminal records. Aneesh Kumar, the SSP noted, was linked to an AK-47 recovered in a similar incident last year and has six other cases registered against him. Police also recovered a cache of illegal weapons from the scene, including three country-made pistols, one rifle, one country-made carbine, and 25 live cartridges.

A further investigation into the criminal histories of those involved and the broader extortion racket is underway. Patna Police said it remains committed to action against crime, extortion, and the illegal arms trade.