Bihar Businessman Gopal Khemka Murdered: Investigation Launched Amid Outrage
Murder of Gopal Khemka Shocks Bihar
Patna, July 5: Just hours after the tragic murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna late Friday night, Bihar's Director General of Police, Vinay Kumar, announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the city Superintendent of Police to investigate the case.
The Special Task Force (STF) has also been engaged to track down Khemka's assailants.
According to DGP Vinay Kumar, initial assessments suggest that the murder may be linked to a property dispute.
The killing of Gopal Khemka, who owned Magadh Hospital and served as the Director of Bankipore Club, has sparked shock and anger across Bihar, reminiscent of the 2018 attack on his son.
The incident took place around 11:40 PM near Panache Hotel in the upscale Gandhi Maidan area.
As Khemka exited his vehicle close to his home, unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire.
Khemka's brother, Shankar Khemka, criticized the police for their delayed response, stating that officers arrived nearly three hours post-incident, around 2:30 AM.
Shankar recounted that Gopal was ambushed in a manner similar to the attack on his son Gunjan in 2018, who was shot while leaving his car near his cotton factory in Vaishali.
With the Bihar Assembly elections approaching, the murder has ignited political tensions, prompting Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, to visit the Khemka family and challenge Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's assertions of effective governance.
City SP (Central) Diksha Kumari confirmed the shooting, stating, "We received reports of Gopal Khemka's murder near Gandhi Maidan around 11:40 PM on July 4. The crime scene has been secured, and an investigation is in progress. The forensic team has been called to gather evidence. Khemka sustained one gunshot wound, and spent bullets have been recovered from the scene. We are currently reviewing CCTV footage for leads."
In a similar incident in 2018, Gunjan Khemka was killed by motorcycle-borne assailants while leaving his vehicle near his cotton factory in Vaishali, a case that remains unresolved.
This attack on Khemka, a prominent member of Bihar's business community, raises serious concerns about public safety and law enforcement in Patna as elections draw near.
The murder is likely to escalate into a significant controversy, providing the Opposition with a critical issue to challenge the Nitish Kumar administration regarding the state's declining law and order.