Two Held In Bistupur Brawl Case, Hunt On For Remaining Accused

Key Points:

• BJP leader Neeraj Singh among 11 booked for attempted murder in bar brawl
• Two accused from Gamharia arrested, knife used in attack recovered
• Karni Sena members demand swift arrest of remaining accused

JAMSHEDPUR – A case of brawling and stabbing at a bar in Bistupur has escalated further, with police booking 11 people, including the bar’s owner and BJP leader Neeraj Singh. The case was registered at Bistupur police station.

Vijay Kumar, the bar’s co-owner, has also been named as an accused alongside Singh. All 11 individuals have been booked under attempted murder charges.

Police have so far arrested two of the accused in connection with the assault and stabbing. The two, identified as Sonu Ram Sardar and Raj Lohar, are residents of Gamharia in the Seraikela Kharsawan district. They are being prepared for remand to jail.

Police are conducting raids to track down the remaining accused. The case was registered based on a statement given by Arvind Singh, a resident of Adityapur. The knife used in the assault has been recovered by investigators.

The clash broke out late on Saturday night at the Double Down bar between two groups. What began as a dispute over alleged harassment quickly escalated into a violent confrontation.

A fierce brawl erupted between the two groups inside the bar, involving repeated kicks and blows. Bouncers eventually intervened and forced both groups outside the premises.

However, the violence continued even after police arrived at the scene. Knives were brandished directly in front of officers, with men dragged out of a PCR van and attacked outside the bar.

Two young men, identified as Himanshu and Pratyush, sustained serious injuries in the stabbing. One is currently undergoing treatment in Kolkata, while the other remains under treatment at Tata Main Hospital.

The incident has also raised questions over security arrangements at the bar. Besides Singh, Kumar, Sardar and Lohar, the other accused named in the case include Vishwanath Mandal, Rahul, Amit Lohar, Arjun Lohar, Ganesh Lohar, Lakhan and one unidentified person.

All the accused have been charged with conspiring to attack the victims with a sharp weapon with intent to kill. Investigators are continuing to question witnesses as part of the probe.

The injured men are reported to be associated with the Karni Sena, a development that has triggered anger among the organisation’s members. A delegation from the group visited Bistupur police station on Monday to seek an update on the investigation.

The delegation, which included Karni Sena district president Mohit Singh and state secretary Kamlesh Singh, pressed police on the pace of arrests. He said the identities of the accused were already known, and questioned why their arrest was being delayed.

Members of the organisation also raised concerns about the conduct of police personnel present during the stabbing. He said no action had been taken so far against officers who were at the scene when the knives were used.