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Key accused in Gopal Khemka murder case shot dead in police encounter; dramatic twist in high-profile case.
Gopal Khemka Murder Case: Key Accused Vikas alias “Raja” Killed in Police Encounter
H2: Nighttime Dawn for Justice – Encounter in Patna
Late on Monday night, July 7–8, 2025, Bihar Police and the Special Task Force (STF) launched a raid in Patna’s Malsalami/Damaria Ghat area aimed at apprehending Vikas alias “Raja”, one of the principal accused in the high-profile murder of industrialist and BJP leader Gopal Khemka. Vikas, suspected to be the arms supplier and key conspirator behind the slaying, reportedly opened fire on the police during the operation. In the ensuing exchange, police fatally shot him, ending his role in the investigation.
H2: Who Was Vikas alias “Raja”?
Police intelligence reveals that Vikas was not merely a hired operative but an illegal arms manufacturer and supplier, which made him a central figure in orchestrating the assassination of Khemka . As per The New Indian Express, he “supplied the weapons used in the murder” and was wanted in multiple criminal cases across Patna.
H2: The Fatal Encounter – How It Unfolded
The encounter took place as officers from both the SIT (Special Investigation Team) and STF closed in on Vikas’s hideout in Patna City’s Damaria Ghat/Malsalami neighborhood. According to police sources, Vikas resisted arrest and opened fire on the raid party. In response, the police returned fire, critically wounding him. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Law enforcement teams confirmed that during the raid, they recovered arms, ammunition, and incriminating evidence related to Khemka’s killing from the premises.
H2: Broader Crackdown – Shooter Umesh Arrested, Conspirators Nabbed
Before this deadly encounter, Bihar Police achieved a breakthrough by arresting the main shooter, Umesh, during a joint raid by STF and local police in Patna’s Kotwali area on July 7. Investigators believe Umesh carried out the brutal shooting that killed Gopal Khemka outside his residence at Exhibition Road on July 4.
CCTV footage and other clues revealed that multiple suspects met at Dal-dali Road tea stall before the assassination. One participant even attended Khemka’s funeral, indicating a deep network of conspiracy .
Police have so far arrested seven individuals, including the shooter and at least one conspiracy mastermind (allegedly orchestrating the hit due to a land dispute). They’ve recovered a vehicle (scooter), firearm, and clothing linked to the crime . According to officials, the killing stemmed from a long-standing land feud, which started decades earlier.
H2: Political Implications – BJP, JDU Government Under Scrutiny
The murder of 65‑year‑old Gopal Khemka, owner of Magadh Hospital and several businesses, including petrol pumps near Hajipur, has stirred major political turbulence in Bihar, especially ahead of assembly elections.
His son, Gunjan Khemka, had been similarly murdered in 2018 over a disputed 14‑bigha land parcel in Hajipur—a crime also believed to be linked to the same land feud.
In wake of these back-to-back killings, opposition parties, including the RJD and Congress, have sharply criticized the ruling JDU–BJP coalition, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order in Patna, the state capital.
Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reportedly convened an emergency meeting with top police officials and his Cabinet to monitor the investigation. The DGP and Chief Secretary assured the public of an expeditious probe and held officers accountable for any lapses .
H2: What Comes Next – The Investigation Road Ahead
With Vikas “Raja” now deceased, investigators will shift focus to:
- Interrogating remaining suspects to uncover the full conspiracy network.
- Retrieving and forensic‑analyzing the arms and ammo seized to establish their links to the murder.
- Mapping the land dispute connections—especially the contested Hajipur holdings—that motivated both father and son’s murders.
- Ensuring the judicial process is transparent and prosecution-ready, given the intense public scrutiny.
Investigators have indicated more arrests are on the horizon as they peel back the layers behind this contract killing .
H2: Community Response and Law-and-Order Concerns
Patna’s residents have expressed shock and dismay at two politically-connected murders within seven years. City civic leaders are calling for a comprehensive security review, especially for high-profile figures. Local business forums and families of the victims are demanding capital punishment for the accused, citing the brazen daylight-style nature of the crime.
Despite police force and STF mobilization, questions persist over lapses that allowed suspects to evade capture until days after the murder. Critics argue that reactive policing, rather than preemptive intelligence, emboldens such conspirators .
H2: Final Word
The killing of Vikas alias “Raja” may mark a pivotal turn in the Gopal Khemka murder investigation. But with the central shooter Umesh arrested, multiple suspects in custody, and more evidence yet to be thoroughly probed, Bihar Police is racing against time to decode a sprawling conspiracy fueled by land rivalries and illegal arms supply.
As the assembly elections loom, all eyes will be on whether justice is served swiftly—or if the shadow of this case casts a long filter over the ruling coalition’s credentials on law and order.
