‘Got shot in the foot and fell’: Eyewitness recounts brazen Patna hospital shooting

Five men, including the prime suspect identified as Tauseef, have been arrested in connection with the case in Kolkata, where they allegedly fled after the incident.

“On the morning of July 17, at around 7:20 am, I was sitting in Room 209 of the hospital with Chandan Mishra, who was undergoing treatment, and Krishna Kant Pandey,” Pathak, a resident of Buxar, has said in his complaint. “Suddenly, five armed assailants entered the room and began firing indiscriminately at Chandan Mishra. Krishna Kant Pandey ran to the bathroom to save his life, while I was shot in the right toe and fell to the ground”.

He then allegedly raised an alarm but “the staff arrived only 15 minutes”, the complaint said.

In a separate police complaint, Chandan Mishra’s father Sri Kant Mishra alleges the involvement of the staff at the hospital where his son was admitted for a laparoscopic surgery.

“After the surgery, the surgeon said Chandan would be discharged by 4:00 pm the next day (July 16). However, when Chandan asked to be discharged on the 16th, the doctor told him he would be discharged on the 17th,” the complaint read.

It goes on to add that “through (a) video footage of the suspects aired in the news, he identified Tauseef Badshah, alias Nasim, as well as two more of the five attackers, Balwant Singh and Monu Singh” from Buxar.

Apart from Tauseef, those arrested have been identified as his cousin Nishu Khan and two “caretakers”, Harsh and Bhim. Addressing the media outside a courtroom in Kolkata, Khan — at whose home the murder was allegedly planned — denied the allegations.

According to Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Kartikeya Sharma, the shooters fled to different locations after the murder. “During the investigation, the main shooter, Tauseef, was arrested with the help of Kolkata Police and the STF. Along with him, three others were also taken into custody,” he said, adding that both Tauseef and Nishu, who had been shot over a personal dispute around 2023 and had sustained an injury to his spine, have previous criminal records.

Police have so far claimed that nine people were “directly” involved in the shooting while there were others who “provided weapons and helped with reconnaissance”.

“The hospital’s role is also under scrutiny, particularly how the accused was able to enter without any checks or obstruction. The manner in which he gained access indicates he had been there previously,” SSP Sharma said.