4 assailants fire at former Himachal Congress MLA Bumber Thakur, his PSO

The injured PSO was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bilaspur. Sources said the assailants fired multiple rounds, hitting both Thakur and his PSO twice. While Thakur’s condition was reported to be stable, the PSO remained critical.

Preliminary investigations suggested that the assailants arrived at Thakur’s residence on foot. However, it was yet to be determined whether they fled on motorbikes or in a four-wheeler.

A police officer stated, “The former Congress MLA has been involved in certain controversies in the past. Recently, he expressed concerns about threats to his life, following which police security was provided based on threat perception. As today was the festival of Holi, Thakur was casually meeting visitors when the assailants arrived and opened fire. His PSO, a constable from the Bilaspur district police, sustained injuries while protecting him.”

Sandeep Dhavan, Superintendent of Police, Bilaspur, told The Indian Express, “We have registered a case against unidentified individuals. Multiple theories are being explored, but so far, the victims have not named anyone specifically in connection with the attack.”

This was not the first attack on Thakur. On February 23, 2024, he was assaulted with sharp weapons outside the office of a railway line construction company, following which cases were registered against 11 people. Later, on June 20, 2024, Saurabh Patyal — the main accused in the attack on Thakur — was shot outside the court premises. In that case, the police arrested five individuals, including Thakur’s elder son.

A police officer added, “Saurabh Patyal, who was arrested for the attack on Bumber Thakur, and the former MLA’s elder son were both released on bail last year.”