Retired Coal India Executive Found Dead Inside Patna Car: Police Probe Suicide or Homicide

Body found inside a stationary vehicle

A tip led Patna police to a car parked in Friends Colony, close to the Jamuna Palace complex. When officers from the Rajiv Nagar police station arrived, they discovered the occupant with a gunshot wound and retrieved a handgun from the interior.

Who the victim was

The deceased was identified as Alok Kumar, a retired engineer who had risen to the position of General Manager at Coal India. Originally from Motihari, Kumar had settled in Ranchi after retirement and was listed as a resident of the Indira Nagar police‑station jurisdiction, Gonda, near Kanke Road.

Family says he was in Patna to visit his sister

Kumar’s brother‑in‑law, Vinod Kumar, lives in Flat 302, F‑Block of Vidya Vihar Apartments – the same neighbourhood where the car was discovered. According to Vinod, Alok arrived in Patna about two nights earlier, having previously visited the city roughly fifteen days before that. He had travelled to see his sister, who lives nearby. Kumar’s wife had died earlier, and his son resides outside Patna.

On the morning the body was found, Kumar allegedly set out for his routine walk and never returned. His lifeless form was later located inside the parked car beneath Jamuna Palace.

Police cordon the area and call in forensic specialists

Following the grim discovery, officers sealed off the location and began collecting physical evidence. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory was dispatched to photograph the scene, secure the recovered firearm, and gather any biological material.

CCTV review and witness interviews underway

Authorities are analysing footage from surveillance cameras installed around Friends Colony to trace Kumar’s movements from his arrival to the moment the vehicle was left unattended. Simultaneously, they are interviewing relatives, neighbours, and anyone who may have had contact with him in the days leading up to his death.

Cause of death still under investigation

At present, police are treating the case as an open inquiry, weighing the possibilities of suicide against potential foul play. The final conclusion will depend on the post‑mortem report, ballistic analysis of the pistol, and any additional evidence uncovered during the ongoing probe.