In a shocking incident highlighting familial greed and crime, a 30-year-old man in Bihar's Bhojpur district allegedly murdered his own father, a serving Jharkhand police havildar, and then severed the victim's right thumb. The gruesome act was intended to prevent other family members from using the thumb impression to claim property, as the son sought to usurp all assets for himself.
A Premeditated Plot for Property and Money
The victim, Pashupati Nath Tiwari, a havildar posted as a police vehicle driver in Hazaribagh, was due to retire in January 2026. According to Ara Sadar SDPO-2 Ranjit Kumar Singh, the prime accused, Vishal Kumar Tiwari, the deceased's only son, wanted to either secure a job on compassionate grounds or get his father's retirement funds. Police stated that Vishal, a drug addict, had been conspiring to kill his father for the past two years to gain control over the anticipated money and property.
The plot took a deadly turn in the wee hours of December 20. Vishal, along with his friend and accomplice Md Jishan Ahmad Jilani, a resident of Hazaribagh, travelled by motorcycle to the havildar's native village, Bhagwatpur under Chandi police station in Bhojpur district. They sneaked into the house and allegedly slit Pashupati Nath Tiwari's throat with a knife.
Severed Thumb to Block Property Claims
In a macabre twist following the murder, the accused did not stop there. Driven by the fear that other family members might use the deceased's thumb impression to stake a claim on the property, Vishal and Jilani cut off the havildar's right thumb. This drastic step was taken because Vishal intended to take sole possession of all assets himself.
Investigations revealed that Vishal's wife had prior knowledge of the sinister plan. She had cautioned her father-in-law, but the havildar did not take the warning seriously, leading to the tragic outcome.
Police Investigation and Arrests
Police officials said the needle of suspicion pointed towards family members from the very beginning. A technical team, FSL team, and other personnel investigated the crime scene on the morning of December 20. Analysis of the Call Detail Records (CDR) from a seized cellphone led to the first arrest. Accomplice Md Jishan Ahmad Jilani was arrested from Hazaribagh.
Based on information extracted from Jilani, Vishal Kumar Tiwari was subsequently arrested from his native village in Bhojpur. During interrogation, the duo confessed to throwing the murder weapon, a knife, and a blood-stained jacket into the Sone river near Sandesh in Bhojpur in an attempt to destroy evidence.
The case has sent shockwaves through the local community, exposing a chilling tale of betrayal driven by addiction and avarice. The police have successfully solved the case with the arrest of both accused, who now face serious charges for murder and destruction of evidence.
