A young boy in a vest is seen patting down an armed man at the entrance of a house as more personnel in khaki wait for their turn. Another officer signalled the boy to check his pockets before being allowed inside. A woman in the video can be heard instructing the policemen, “…Aap dono sipahi idhar aaiye, line mein lagiye, yahan idhar se jaiyega… (You two constables come here, stand in line, and go in from this side)“. As more officers approach the gate, another voice in the background asks, “How many people were checked before being allowed inside?“
The scene, captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media, was not from a police camp or a security drill. It was recorded during a police raid at the residence of alleged members of the Sonu-Monu gang in the Mokama area of Bihar’s Patna district, where policemen themselves were allegedly frisked by relatives and supporters of the accused before being permitted to enter the house.
A viral video from Bihar’s Patna shows policemen allegedly being frisked by relatives and supporters of accused Sonu-Monu gang members before entering a house during a raid in Mokama. https://t.co/3E1jMBfWlo pic.twitter.com/dpZcQ6HBD2
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) May 26, 2026
The incident has triggered disciplinary action, with Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya Kumar Sharma suspending the Station House Officers (SHOs) of Panchmahla and Hathidah police stations after the video drew widespread attention online.
According to a press release issued by the office of the SSP, the incident occurred in Nauranga Jalalpur village under Panchmahla police station limits, following a firing incident on Sunday between two groups allegedly linked to a dispute over a social media post.
“On 24.05.2026, a firing incident took place between two groups in Nauranga Jalalpur village under Panchmahla police station due to a social media post,” the release said. It added that during the subsequent raid conducted at the residence of a “notorious criminal”, “the conduct of the police was not found satisfactory”.
The SSP’s office said the viral video was examined by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Barh-1, and based on the inquiry report, Panchmahla SHO Kundan Kumar and Hathidah SHO Ranjan Kumar were suspended.
The firing
According to police, the firing incident began after a Facebook post by Mukesh Singh, husband of a local sarpanch and PACS chairman, who is also considered close to JD(U) MLA Anant Singh. Mukesh had reportedly praised local police action in the area and stated that “rule of law would now prevail” and “goons would be eliminated”.
The post allegedly angered Pramod Singh, father of Sonu and Monu, following which an argument broke out between the two sides on Saturday evening. According to police officials, the confrontation escalated after Sonu allegedly arrived with several associates.
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Police said that during the altercation, “Sonu’s associate allegedly fired two rounds at Mukesh.” Mukesh escaped unhurt in the incident.
An FIR was subsequently registered at Panchmahla police station against Sonu, Monu and others. Police teams, led by the SHOs of Panchmahla and Hathidah, then conducted a joint raid at the accused persons’ residence in Nauranga Jalalpur village in connection with the firing case and for the recovery of illegal arms.
However, by the time the police team reached the house, the two accused had allegedly fled.
What followed inside and outside the residence has now become the focus of scrutiny. Videos circulating online show policemen standing in a line while individuals present at the house physically check them before allowing them entry. In one clip, police personnel carrying rifles can be seen waiting their turn as a youth frisked them at the gate. Women present at the spot are heard directing the movement of the officers.
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Inquiry report
Officials said the inquiry also examined allegations that a woman at the residence handed over a mobile phone to one of the officers, enabling a conversation with Monu, who was allegedly absconding at the time.
According to officials, the SDPO’s inquiry report termed the conduct of the officers during the raid “extremely serious”, noting that police personnel interacting over the phone with a wanted criminal in front of a crowd and allowing themselves to be frisked publicly had adversely affected the force’s image.
The report stated that police action should inspire confidence among the public and fear among criminals, but observed “gross negligence” and “indiscipline” in the conduct of the two officers.
Following the suspensions, both officers have been attached to the New Police Centre in Patna during the suspension period and will receive only subsistence allowance. Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against them, and explanations have been sought.
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Meanwhile, Bihar Rural Works Minister and former IPS officer Sunil Kumar defended the practise of police personnel offering themselves for checking before searches.
“When someone goes to conduct a search, there is a rule that they first offer themselves for checking,” the minister reportedly told reporters, adding, “Police give their own search during raids so that the people whose premises are being searched know that no suspicious item is being carried inside.” He said that if any wrongdoing had occurred, action would follow.
The episode has once again brought focus on the long-running rivalry between the Sonu-Monu group and supporters of Anant Singh in the Mokama region. In January 2025, the same village had witnessed a major firing incident involving the rival groups, during which multiple rounds were allegedly exchanged.
Police said raids are continuing to trace the absconding accused, and that further investigation into the firing case is underway.
