Patna Businessman Gopal Khemka Murder Case: SIT Formed, Organised Killing Linked To Jailed Criminals Suspected

The recent murder of Gopal Khemka, a prominent businessman in Patna, has caused widespread alarm and prompted an extensive police operation. The incident occurred late on Friday night when Khemka was shot outside his home. This tragic event has led to a significant police raid at Beur Central Jail as investigators explore potential connections between the murder and inmates within the facility.

Gopal Khemka's death is reminiscent of a previous tragedy that struck his family six years ago. In 2018, his son Gunjan Khemka was also shot dead in broad daylight in Vaishali district's Hajipur industrial area. With another family member targeted, suspicions of a larger conspiracy involving organised crime are growing.

Business Success and Family Tragedy Of Gopal Khemka

Gopal Khemka, aged 65, was a well-known figure in Bihar's business community. He began his entrepreneurial journey with G K Cotton in Hajipur Industrial Area in 1985. Over time, he expanded into various sectors including fuel retail and healthcare, establishing a fuel station on Fraser Road and Magadh Hospital in Rajendra Nagar. His ventures also extended to real estate development across Patna.

The murder took place around 11:45 pm near the main gate of Khemka's apartment complex at Ramgulam Chowk under Gandhi Maidan police station area. He was returning from Bankipore Club when a man on a bike shot him at close range. Despite being rushed to a private hospital by family members, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Police Investigation Intensifies In Gopal Khemka Murder Case

On Saturday afternoon, authorities launched a coordinated raid inside Beur Central Jail from 3:05 pm to 4:35 pm. The operation involved personnel from 14 stations and senior officers like SDPOs, SP, and SSP. IG (central range) Jitendra Rana and Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma supervised the raid.

"Major incidents often involve organised criminals who may have connections inside jail," said IG Rana. "After receiving inputs, we conducted a raid at Beur Jail where around 100 inmates were interrogated." An SIT team led by City SP (Central) Diksha is actively pursuing leads related to the case.

Evidence Collection and Analysis

During the jail raid, police recovered three mobile phones, sim cards, a data cable, phone numbers scribbled on paper slips, and other objectionable items. Investigators believe these could provide crucial clues about the murder case.

"We have found some clues," SSP Sharma stated. "Some suspicious persons have been identified through CCTV footage analysis." He added that it might be linked to inmates lodged in Beur jail but cautioned against premature conclusions.

Community Impact and Family Background Of Gopal Khemka

The Khemka family holds significant prominence within Patna's business circles. Gopal was one of four brothers-Vijay, Kishan, and Kanhaiya-involved collectively in pharmaceuticals and manufacturing sectors alongside owning several assets including fuel stations and industrial units.

A case has been registered at Gandhi Maidan police station based on Gaurav Khemka's written complaint though no specific individuals are named yet in FIRs filed regarding this incident.

Earlier that day before raids commenced; SSP held strategy briefings at Secretariat Police Station with personnel from all fourteen stations along city SPs & SDPOs present too while CM Nitish Kumar chaired high-level review meetings seeking detailed briefings from DGP directing strict actions accordingly.