Bilaspur: The police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the firing incident on former Congress MLA Bamber Thakur. The team, led by ADGP Gyaneshwar with DIG Soumya as chairperson and SP Bilaspur as a key member, has been tasked with tracking down the attackers and determining whether the attack had political motives.
The incident took place on Holi, Friday when four armed assailants opened fire indiscriminately at Thakur while he was meeting people at his wife’s official residence in Bilaspur city. The attackers fired 22 to 24 rounds, forcing Thakur and others to take cover behind vehicles. Thakur sustained a bullet injury in his left leg, while his security officer, Sanjeev Kumar, was critically injured, with bullets hitting his stomach and leg. While Thakur is undergoing treatment at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Kumar is admitted to AIIMS Bilaspur, where doctors are addressing severe internal injuries.
Following the attack, the assailants fled towards the Bilaspur bus stand before escaping in a Bolero vehicle. Police later recovered the vehicle from Chakra in Mandi district, along with a pistol found nearby. Five individuals, including the vehicle’s driver, have been taken into custody for questioning.
CCTV footage has helped police identify two of the attackers, who are reportedly from Rohtak, Haryana. Investigators are also linking this shooting to a previous attack on Thakur in February last year at a railway line company office. Preliminary findings suggest that individuals present at Thakur’s residence before the attack may have provided real-time information to the assailants.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Bilaspur, Sandeep Dhawal, stated that the attackers are not locals, and multiple police teams have been deployed to track their movements. A case has been registered at Sadar Police Station under the Arms Act and attempt to murder charges. A forensic team has also collected empty bullet shells from the crime scene.
Meanwhile, security has been heightened at IGMC, where 10 to 12 police personnel have been deployed for Thakur’s protection. The SIT is now investigating whether the attack was politically motivated or part of a larger conspiracy.
