Ara: In a display of heroism and selflessness, Santosh Singh, a 48-year-old commercial vehicle driver and owner, defied all odds and continued driving even after being shot in the stomach by armed assailants. The incident occurred late Wednesday night as Singh was returning from a “tilak” ceremony with 15 passengers aboard his jeep.
The attack occurred near Jhauan village under the Bihiya police station area in Bhojpur district. Despite the excruciating pain from the bullet wound, Singh’s determination to protect his passengers led him to drive an additional 5km, ensuring their safety before stopping. Om
Prakash Sah, one of the passengers, said, “Singh received a bullet injury in his stomach. However, he kept driving for about 5km until the jeep reached a safe distance. We were returning from a tilak ceremony in Shukulpura village when two unknown men on a bike began chasing us and shot at the driver.”
“The sheer bravery of Singh, who kept his focus despite his grave injury, is beyond commendable. The driver did not stop, not even when the pain must have been unbearable. He only halted when other vehicles from the same ceremony reached his jeep,” said SHO of Bihiya police station, Aditya Kumar. Singh was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Ara where doctors confirmed he was out of danger after receiving treatment.
Police have launched an investigation into the attack. Rajiv Chandra Singh, the Jagdishpur SDPO, said the motive behind the shooting was still unclear. “We are employing scientific techniques and technical teams to unravel the reasons for this attack,” he said, adding that an FSL team and district intelligence unit have begun their inquiries.