Businessman’s Murder Accused Shot Dead in Patna Police Encounter

Vikas Kumar, linked to Gopal Khemka’s killing, gunned down after opening fire on police; contract killing plot uncovered

Patna : In a dramatic turn in the high-profile murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka, an accused named Vikas Kumar alias Raja was shot dead in an encounter with police in Patna’s Malsalami locality early Tuesday morning.

According to officials, Vikas was a key accomplice of Umesh Yadav, the prime shooter in Khemka’s murder, which occurred last Friday night. Acting on leads provided during Umesh’s interrogation, a joint team of Bihar’s Special Task Force (STF) and Malsalami police raided Vikas’s residence around 2:45 a.m.

As the police team approached, Vikas allegedly opened fire. The police returned fire, and in the ensuing gunfight, he was shot dead.

Police said Vikas was involved in illegal arms trading and had supplied the weapon used in the murder. “We have detained two individuals and arrested the main shooter, Umesh. Our investigation suggests that a contract of ₹10 lakh was taken to kill Gopal Khemka, and Umesh was subcontracted the task for ₹1 lakh,” said a senior police officer.

The killing of Gopal Khemka, a prominent businessman, has sent shockwaves through Patna’s business circles and sparked public outrage. The incident raised serious concerns about the law-and-order situation in Bihar’s capital and placed political pressure on the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)-BJP government.

Opposition parties, including the RJD and Congress, were quick to criticize the state administration, accusing it of failing to ensure public safety.

In response to the backlash, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar convened a high-level meeting with top police officials and directed them to expedite the investigation and bring all culprits to justice.

As the probe continues, the police say more arrests and revelations are expected in the coming days, potentially uncovering deeper layers of criminal conspiracy behind Khemka’s killing.