Gopal Khemka, a prominent businessman and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Bihar, was shot dead outside his residence in Patna on Friday night. The incident occurred around 11 PM near the 'Panache' Hotel in the Gandhi Maidan police station area as Khemka was returning home.

According to reports, the 62-year-old owner of Magadh Hospital was attacked by unidentified bike-borne assailants as he stepped out of his car near his residence in the Twin Tower apartment complex, adjacent to the hotel. The assailants opened fire and immediately fled the scene. Khemka died on the spot.

Patna Police responded to the shooting at approximately 11 PM. City Superintendent of Police (Central) Diksha Kumari stated that the area was cordoned off, and an investigation is underway. Investigators are examining CCTV footage to gather more information about the assailant. A bullet and a shell casing were recovered from the scene. The motive behind the murder is currently unknown.

Khemka's murder has sparked outrage and raised concerns about public safety in Bihar. Independent MP Pappu Yadav, also known as Rajesh Ranjan, visited the crime scene and criticized the Nitish Kumar-led government, stating that "no one is safe in Bihar" and that the state has become a "sanctuary for criminals". Yadav attributed the current climate of fear to the government's failure to act decisively following the murder of Khemka's son three years ago.

Khemka's brother, Shankar, alleged that police arrived at the scene nearly three hours after the shooting. He stated that Khemka was shot around 11:40 PM, but police did not arrive until around 2:30 AM.

The incident is reminiscent of the 2018 murder of Khemka's son, Gunjan Khemka, who was killed outside his factory in the Hajipur industrial area. Pappu Yadav stated that if the government had taken strict action after Gunjan's murder, Gopal Khemka might still be alive. The murder of Gopal Khemka has triggered sharp political reactions ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.