In a chilling echo of the murder of his son six years ago, BJP leader and businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead outside his Patna home late Friday night, highlighting the worsening law and order situation in Bihar’s capital. Gopal Khemka, who had just returned home after a routine visit to Bankipur Club, was shot at point-blank range by bike-borne assailants, underscoring the growing audacity of criminals in a state already grappling with frequent political violence.
Gopal Khemka, a well-known figure in Patna’s business and political circles, had parked his vehicle near his Ramgulam Chowk residence around 11 PM when he was attacked. According to police, an unidentified assailant fired multiple rounds from a 9mm pistol, with some bullets reportedly fired while Gopal Khemka was still inside his car. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
The murder bears stark similarities to the 2018 killing of Gopal Khemka’s son, Gunjan, who was shot dead by bike-borne assailants outside his G K Cotton Mill factory in Hajipur Industrial Estate. Gunjan’s murder, which shook the business community in Bihar at the time, remains unresolved, with no conclusive progress made in the investigation over the years.
Police Form SIT Amid Growing Pressure
Following Gopal Khemka’s killing, Bihar’s Director General of Police Binay Kumar directed the Special Task Force (STF) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to assist the Patna Police in cracking the case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to track down the attackers, with multiple raids launched across Patna to apprehend the suspects. However, the motive behind Gopal Khemka’s murder remains unclear, and investigators are probing possible business and political angles.
City Superintendent of Police (SP) confirmed that multiple 9mm bullets were recovered from the scene, indicating a targeted attack. The brazen nature of the crime, carried out in a central part of Patna, has raised serious concerns about the state’s ability to ensure safety for its citizens, especially high-profile individuals who continue to remain vulnerable to targeted violence.
Political Reactions and Criticism of Nitish Government
The murder has triggered a political storm, with independent MP from Purnea, Pappu Yadav, visiting the crime scene and launching a scathing attack on the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government. In a series of posts on X, Yadav accused the state administration of failing to curb the rising crime graph and claimed that if strict action had been taken when Gunjan Khemka was murdered, Gopal Khemka would have been alive today.
“Bihar has become a sanctuary for criminals! Nitish ji, please spare Bihar,” Yadav posted, reflecting growing public anger over the perceived collapse of law and order in the state. He also recalled his visit to the Gopal Khemka family after Gunjan’s murder, stating that despite assurances of justice, the family had been failed by the system repeatedly.
The incident has reignited debates around Bihar’s law and order situation, with opposition leaders blaming the ruling government for allowing the state to become unsafe for businesspersons and political leaders alike. The daring nature of the attack, carried out without fear of consequences in a city area, has exposed the challenges faced by the police in tackling organized crime and targeted killings in Bihar.
Patna police continue to examine CCTV footage from nearby areas while questioning potential witnesses to identify the killers and uncover the motive behind the targeted assassination. The murder of Gopal Khemka has once again placed the spotlight on the safety concerns faced by families who have already suffered violence in the past, forcing Bihar’s administration to confront the harsh realities of its security apparatus under intense public scrutiny.
