Tension has gripped Bihar’s Saran district after the body of a 23-year-old Muslim youth, Owais Khan, was recovered from a pond two days after he went missing. His family alleges that he was brutally killed by a local man named Deepak Mishra following a dispute, and accuse the police of inaction in arresting the suspects.
According to Owais’s father, Niyaz Khan, the incident began with an altercation between his son and Deepak Mishra. “Mishra came to our house, abusing my son and demanding that we call him out. We told him we would resolve the matter peacefully,” Niyaz said.
Later that evening, Niyaz alleges, Deepak’s father, Ghanshyam Mishra, arrived at their home and made a chilling declaration. “He told us: ‘Go and search for your son. We have killed him and thrown him away,’” Niyaz recounted.
The next day, Owais’s family discovered his body in a pit near Murat Baba, a local area. His phone was switched off, and initial attempts to trace him had failed. “When we saw his body, we could not believe it. Only then we informed the police,” said his father.
A First Information Report (FIR) has since been lodged against both Deepak Mishra and his father Ghanshyam Mishra. However, more than 24 hours after the discovery, no arrests have been made.
Local anger has been rising, with villagers gathering outside the Panapur police station, accusing authorities of protecting the accused. “If someone can openly claim they killed a boy and nothing happens, what kind of justice is this?” one villager said.
The victim’s father expressed frustration at the police response. “The authorities keep telling us to ‘trust them’ and wait for 24 hours. But we do not have faith anymore. If they fail to act, we will be forced to protest and surround the police station,” he warned.
Police officials have assured the family that action will be taken soon. “The investigation is underway and arrests will be made,” the station in-charge reportedly said.
