The committee set up by the state government to inquire into the death of Rahul Raj, the Bihar youth shot dead by the Mumbai police last October after he took over a BEST bus at gunpoint, is likely to submit its report this week.

Government sources said the committee had quizzed around 20 to 30 witnesses including policemen, the driver and conductors of the bus and bystanders. Drivers and conductors of buses in the vicinity when the incident took place were also quizzed.

The committee has not yet spoken to Manoj Bhagat, the passenger, who reportedly tried to divert Rahul Raj’s attention from the gun and was shot at in the thigh. He is said to have sustained neck injuries after Rahul tied a metal chain around his neck.

The injured Bhagat was admitted to the Rajawadi Hospital.

Rahul Raj, a Patna youth apparently upset with Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s campaign against north Indians, had taken over a BEST bus at Kurla at gunpoint and held the passengers hostage on October 27 last year.

The killing had led to an outcry and doubts were raised on whether there was a need for a police encounter. The state government had then appointed a one-man committee under chief secretary Johnny Joseph to inquire into the matter. However, the prime witnesses being injured, and with the 26/11 terror attacks following, the probe was put on the backburner.

Sources said the report would be submitted to the state home department this week for processing. But they refused to reveal the contents of the reports or the preliminary findings of the committee. They, however, added that the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police had said that had the police not acted against Rahul Raj, it would have aggravated matters.