BUTAN CHAUDHARY SLEEPS WITH AK-47 UNDER HIS BED

BUTAN CHAUDHARY SLEEPS WITH AK-47 UNDER HIS BED

10-MAY-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-------------------------The Central Investigation Agency starts investigation in the case of recovery of AK-47 rifle from the house of Butan Chaudhary, a criminal with a reward of Rs. 2 lakh on his head and a resident of Belaru under Udwantnagar police station in Bhojpur district. An inspector rank officer of the NIA came to the Udwantnagar police station and took complete details of the case.

The NIA team took photographs of the serial number on the seized AK-47 rifle and based on the serial number, it will be seen whether the seized AK-47 rifle belongs to the army for the police. Butan Chaudhary used to sleep with AK-47 under his bed. On April 6, 2025, Patna STF along with Ara DIU and Bhojpur police reached the house of Urmila Devi and searched the house. Upon entering the house, a hall was seen and there were two rooms next to it. A cement sack was kept in the rook on the left while as soon as the team entered the room the right, a bed was found laid on a stool with two pillows and when the team lifted the bed, AK-47 with loaded magazine and 43 live cartridges were found. An FIR was lodged with the police under Udwantnagar police station in this regard on the statement of an SI, Udwantnagar police station Sumant Kuamr.

In the FIR, Sumant Singh said that on April 6, 2025 at 10pm, he along with constable Vinod Kumar, Robansi Ran and a lady constable Ruby Kumari was on patrolling and when he reached nearTetaria Mod at about 3.40am, the SHO Udwantnagar police station informed him that the STF and DIU teams have arrived to raid the house of notorious Butan Chaudhary and directed to reach the spot along with his team. He at once reached there and saw that a person was running towards the bamboo bushes. The police chased but the person escaped under the cover of darkness. He said that the AK-47 was at once confiscated. The police team also recovered 43 live cartridges, two loaded magazines of AK-47 and two empty magazines of INSAS rifle from under the bed and two and grenades were found in the vegetable field near the house. Police said that Butan Chaudhary kept a reserve magazine of modern weapons to establish his supremacy in the area so that there is no mistake during the crime. The police also linked the recovery to smuggling.

Sumant Singh further said that after the recovery, the police team grilled Upendra Chaudhary, brother of Butan Chaudhary who replied that the AK-47 rifle belonged to his brother Butan Chaudhary, who had left the house a little while ago, had brought the rifle on Sunday evening and kept it under the bed and he had no idea where he is right now. Later the police arrested 60 year old Upendra Chaudhary and sent him to jail. Now the police team is conducting raids to arrest Butan Chaudhary who is wanted in about 14 cases including murder, robbery, extortion and firing whereas Upendra Chaudhary has half a dozen cases.

Police said that it is a preliminary investigation and the senior officials are made aware of it and DSP and SP rank officers can also investigate and interrogate Upendra Chaudhary.

Police said that the criminals, musclemen and sand mafias of the Sone river basin have a number of AK-47. Police headquarters have instructed to take action against those who possesses illegal firearms and display in the public. The ultramodern banned weapons are being openly displayed and used for bloody rivalry and supremacy.

Earlier in 2016, an AK-47 was recovered from Butan Chaudhary who had rivalry with Ranjit Chaudhary of the same village. Several persons were killed in the war of attrition in between the two and perhaps the next turn was of Prakash Chaudhary, nephew of Ranjit Chaudhary who had taken revenge of his father two years ago by shooting Butan Chaudhary nephew while the recovery of AK-47 from Butan Chaudhary’s house has averted the bloody game for the time being. The recovery of AK-47 second time reveals that if one has the will and money, can fulfill his passion. Ranjit Chaudhary was arrested years ago and so it was told that both the AK-47s were sold to MLA Arun Yadav and his associates. It was also revealed in the confessional statement of Fauzi that Sallu Mian of Ara had given AK-47 and SLR to many politicians and musclemen. AK-47 was brought in a truck of apples. Pandey brothers were also named in this. Bhojpur’s arms smuggler Singh Sahab is still supplying AK-47 and cartridges on a large scale through syndicate. A retired Fauzi has a big role in the syndicate.

Police further said that Butan Chaudhary son of late Janeshwar Chaudhary had to a wedding ceremony with AK-47 to show off his supremacy in March 2016 and the police arrested from there along with his brother Upendra Chaudhary with AK-47, three pistols, 29 live cartridges of AK-47 and other bullets. At that time, his relation with many white collar people had come to light. Later the court sentenced Butan Chaudhary to seven years imprisonment while his elder brother Upendra Chaudhary and four others to three years imprisonment.

Butan Chaudhary and Ranjit Chaudhary had good relations. Botha were close for one and half a decade. Ranjit Chaudhary used to work for Butan Chaudhary but due to a land dispute, both of them became bitter enemies. It was said that Butan Chaudhary wanted the land of Ranjit Chaudhary’s father Ramadhar Chaudhary and this sparked enmity between the two. In the year 2013, there was a shootout between Hemant Chaudhary, Ranjit Chaudhary and Butan Chaudhary and Ranjit Chaudhary turned against Butan Chaudhary. In November 2014, Butan Chaudhary was attacked and in December 2013, Belaur Panchayat Mukhiya Champa Devi wife of Butan Chaudhary’s servant who had won the panchayat election, was strangulated to death and Ranjit Chaudhary and others were made accused in this regard. In retaliation, in May 2016, Ranjit Chaudhary’s elder brother Hemant Chaudhary was shot dead in a broad day light during the campaign for Panchayat elections. In the year 2016 Panchayat elections, Manju Devi wife of Kariman Chaudhary, Upendra Chaudhary’s son had won the election. Butan Chaudhary’s name had cropped up behind Hemant Chaudhary’s murder and from thence, the bloody game of murder for murder began.  Butan Chaudhary’s close aide Parmatma Rawani, husband of Rajni Devi, ward councilor of Poswan panchayat of Gadhani, was thrown out of the bus neasr belaur Bungalow while going from Ara to her village and was shot dead. On March 24, 2021, Butan Chaudhary’s nephew and son of Upendra Chaudhary’s son Deepu Chaudhary was shot dead near the Ara Circuit house en-route to his village from the Ara Civil Court. He had come to Ara court to meet Butan Chaudhary who was brought from Bhagalpur jail for appearance.

The matter is related to an incident of April 28, 2023 when Deepak Kumar Sah of Belaur village was shot dead due to election rivalry and Butan Chaudhary, Upendra Chaudhary and others were made named accused in the murder. Butan Chaudhary is absconding since. The police headquarters announced an award of Rs. 2 lakh on him whereas his brother Upendra Chaudhary was arrested and sent to jail but came out of the jail on bail three months ago.

Butan Chaudhary and Upendra Chaudhary have criminal history and have been sentenced in a previous Arms act case. Half a dozen criminal cases including murder are pending with the police. In October 2023, exchange of fire had taken place in between the two rival groups over the dispute of making a way for Jindal Company’s ghat at Khangaon Sand Ghat under Chandi police station and one Harishit Singh was killed while three others were injured. In the firing, Butan Chaudhary, Ranjit Chaudhary and about two dozen persons from both the sides including Deepak Pandey were made named accused.

It was said that retired army men take care of arms security in the gang of sand mafias. Support of criminals is necessary and for dominance AK-47 is required for illegal sand business in Sone river and also to establish supremacy in the area and so the Sand mafias hired retired soldiers with weapons on monthly basis and pay them a hefty amount while some sand mafias have made armed retired army men their partners. The retired army men train criminals involved in the illegal trade to use sophisticated weapons. There are dozens of retired army men in each sand mafia gang whose role is suspicious. Each sand mafia carries dozens of legal and illegal weapons to create an aura. The windows of all their vehicles are completely black so that nothing can be seen from outside.