The armed thugs escaped in the chaos after locals mistook police in plainclothes as criminals and started pelting stones
Team Clarion
GAYA – A Muslim teenager was injured in an exchange of fire between policemen in plainclothes and two armed criminals near Nadiraganj Shahi Masjid here on Wednesday. The firing occurred as a police team pursued the two outlaws near the mosque. The area residents, misinterpreting the situation, pelted stones at the police, enabling the duo to escape taking advantage of the chaos.
A bullet hit Muhammad Raja, 15, as he was exiting the mosque after prayers.
Providing details, City Additional Superintendent of Police, P.N. Sahu, said a police team from Vishnupad police station was in pursuit of the two criminals. The officers had nearly apprehended one of the suspects when the duo opened fire at the police. The area residents mistook the plainclothes police officers for attackers and started throwing stones at them.
“During the pursuit, one of the gunmen fired shots, unfortunately hitting young Muhammad Raja in the toe. The situation quickly escalated as the locals, confused by the plainclothes policemen’s presence, began to stone the officers, allowing the suspects to flee,” the police official explained.
Eyewitnesses described the harrowing moments of the incident. Abdul Rahman recounted: “We heard gunshots and saw two men being chased. It was chaotic, and when we saw guns, we thought they were under attack. We acted to protect our community, not knowing they were police.”
Another resident, Aisha Begum, expressed the community’s shock and confusion. “The policemen did not initially identify themselves, which led to the misunderstanding. Tragically, an innocent boy was hurt in the process.”
Muhammad Raja was immediately taken to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital where doctors confirmed his condition as stable. Dr. Suresh Kumar, attending to Raja, said the bullet was lodged in his toe. “Thankfully, his vital signs are stable, and we expect a full recovery,” he said.
The police have begun a thorough investigation, including a review of CCTV footage from the vicinity. “We are examining all available footage to understand the full sequence of events. It is crucial to determine the source of the gunfire that hit the boy,” said Sahu.
Addressing the media, he said: “Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of all residents. The miscreants were known criminals, and their escape was a significant setback. However, we are intensifying our efforts to recapture them. We regret the injury to Muhammad Raja and are working to prevent such misunderstandings in the future.”
The local police have also urged residents to cooperate and maintain calm during ongoing operations. Civil Line police station officers have collected four empty cartridges from the scene as part of the evidence.
Residents, while supportive of police efforts to curb crime, stressed the need for better communication and identification to avoid such dangerous misunderstandings.
Mohammed Karim, a community leader, voiced the collective sentiment, saying: “We respect the police and their duty to protect us. However, operations like these should be conducted with clear identification to prevent such unfortunate incidents.”
