SI suspended for pointing pistol at flood victim during distribution of relief materials in Bihar’s Saran

A Sub-Inspector and Station House Officer (SHO) of Maker Police Station in Saran district has been suspended for pointing a gun at the flood victims during the distribution of relief materials.

Also Read: In Bihar, over 47 lakh people affected by floods across 87 blocks of 15 districts

The video of a SHO pointing a gun and showing footwear to the flood victims went viral on social media. The incident happened on Sunday (October 4, 2026) afternoon near Reva Ghat. Late at night, around 11 p.m., Saran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Roshan Kumar issued the suspension order.

“A video is circulating on various social media platforms showing Sub-Inspector Sangram Kumar Singh, Station House Officer (SHO) of Maker, pointing his pistol at the public during the distribution of flood relief materials; prima facie, this conduct reflects gross negligence in the discharge of his duties, indiscipline, and arbitrary behaviour,” SSP Roshan said in the press statement.

He added, “For the negligence displayed, Sub-Inspector Sangram Kumar Singh, SHO of Maker Police Station, is hereby suspended with immediate effect and placed on subsistence allowance. During suspension, he will be designated at headquarters. Subsistence allowance will be payable subject to his attendance.”

In the video, the SI is seen standing on top of a pickup truck loaded with rations and arguing with flood-affected villagers lined up for relief material. Some villagers just stepped out of line to grab rations when the SI first flashed his footwear and then pulled out his gun, aiming it at the flood victims.

The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) attacked the State government over the incident by posting a message on the social media account X along with the video of the SI, asserting that those in power are treating common people like insects.

“Shoe flashed at flood victims, then a pistol whipped out with swagger. Like the Chief Minister, so the police. Where does this much arrogance and swagger come from? One fires bullets from an AK-47; another whips out a pistol. Be it BJP JD(U) leaders, Bihar officials, or Bihar police, these people treat ordinary citizens like insects,” the RJD said in the post.

Heavy rainfall in Nepal’s catchment area has raised water levels in the Gandak River, leading to breaches in the embankments. Flooding has affected around 9.87 lakh people across 169 gram panchayats in 30 blocks of six districts: West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur.

The Bihar government is continuously making efforts to reach flood-affected people and distribute relief materials.

Meanwhile, the State government has also suspended seven engineers and initiated departmental proceedings against another official for alleged negligence in handling floods. Water Resources Department official said that during the inspections, laxity and delays were found in the emergency response by some engineers, including inadequate mobilisation of manpower and materials and poor coordination with locals and elected representatives.

“Seven engineers, including two executive engineers, have been suspended with immediate effect. Departmental proceedings have also been ordered against Muzaffarpur chief engineer Kumar Manoj Gupta over alleged negligence following damage to the Champaran embankment,” the statement said.

Officials suspended were Saran Executive Engineer Santosh Kumar Prabhakar, Gopalganj Executive Engineer M.D. Sajid Iqbal, Saran Assistant Engineer Sunil Kumar and Vinod Kumar, Gopalganj Assistant Engineer Md Javed Ansari, and Saran and Gopalganj junior engineers Chandrashekhar Kumar and Vikas Kumar, respectively, it added.