3 min readPatnaMar 13, 2026 07:44 PM IST
A youth from Bihar’s Sheikhpura district who claimed to have secured rank 440 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination was felicitated by local leaders and the police before residents discovered that the claim was false. He has since gone missing, officials said.
Ranjeet Kumar, a resident of Fatehpur village under Mahuli police station in Ariyari block, told villagers and local representatives shortly after the UPSC final results were declared on March 6 that he had secured the 440th rank.
The claim quickly spread across the village and neighbouring areas, triggering celebrations and a series of felicitation programmes. At these events, he was garlanded, presented with shawls, bouquets and other gifts, and introduced as a successful civil services candidate and an inspiration for local youth.
In speeches at these gatherings, videos of which later circulated on social media, Kumar spoke about perseverance and goal-setting. He told students that “once a person clearly visualises their goal, the path to success becomes easier”, stressing the importance of hard work and self-belief. He also cited former President APJ Abdul Kalam as a source of inspiration while recounting his struggles preparing for competitive examinations.
Local political representatives also joined the celebrations. Former RJD MLA Vijay Samrat visited the village and felicitated Kumar with a garland and a bouquet, while sweets were distributed among residents. The local mukhiya and other villagers organised similar events.
Even the Mahuli police station honoured him – the officer-in-charge invited Kumar and felicitated him there.
However, doubts surfaced on March 10 when some residents checked the official UPSC merit list on the commission’s website. They found that AIR 440 had been secured by Ranjith Kumar R from Chikkaballapur in Karnataka, and not by anyone from Bihar.
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The discrepancy led villagers to seek clarification from Kumar. Sarfaraz Alam, former mukhiya of Chaudhar Dargah panchayat, said residents confronted him after learning of the mismatch. “When people checked the result and realised the rank belonged to another candidate, they asked him to explain. After that, he left the village and has not been seen since,” Alam said, adding that his mobile phone has been switched off.
Mahuli police station officer-in-charge Rampravesh Bharti said the police had initially honoured him based on information circulating locally. “Later, when questions were raised about the result, we asked him to come to the police station with his documents. After that, he stopped responding and has not been reachable,” Bharti said, adding that police are trying to locate him to record his statement.
Local sources said Kumar had been preparing for competitive examinations while staying in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar, a well-known hub for UPSC coaching. He returned to the village before Holi.
Following the revelation, photographs of the felicitation posted earlier on social media by some local leaders, including the former MLA, were reportedly deleted.
