A lot of questions are being raised as there is a lot happening in Bihar just before the elections, with several recent violent cases emerging. Now, Dr. Tapeshwar Prasad, a retired Health Department official, was shot and critically injured by unidentified assailants in Gaya, Bihar, on Saturday morning, marking a disturbing uptick in violence as the state gears up for elections.
The incident took place near Sheikhpura Mod in Sherghati while Dr. Prasad was returning from his agricultural fields. According to eyewitnesses, three armed men on an Apache motorcycle intercepted him and fired at close range, striking him in the face and jaw. He was initially rushed to a local sub-divisional hospital and later referred to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College in Gaya, where he remains in critical condition.
Police arrived at the scene shortly after the attack and recovered a pistol believed to have been dropped by one of the assailants during their escape. Investigators are exploring multiple angles, with early leads pointing to a possible link to a long-running property dispute between Dr. Prasad and his son, Dr. Shashi Ranjan, who is also a medical practitioner. Notably, Dr. Prasad had previously lodged a police complaint over the conflict, and earlier this year, his house was reportedly targeted in a bombing—raising concerns that he may have been the victim of targeted violence.
The shooting is part of a worrying trend of rising gun violence across Bihar. In another recent incident, Chandan Mishra, a known criminal, was gunned down inside the ICU of a Patna hospital by five armed assailants. The brazen attack, caught on CCTV, is believed to be gang-related. Police have since detained three individuals from Kolkata in connection with that case.
Authorities say all angles are being investigated in Dr. Prasad’s case, including the possible involvement of contract killers. The escalation in violent incidents has led to growing public concern over law and order, with calls mounting for tighter security and stronger enforcement as the election season nears.