LUCKNOW, June 28 -- Ajay Rai, Uttar Pradesh Congress president, on Saturday visited the family of the late Bharat Bhushan Tiwari in Bilauti village in Bihar's Bhojpur district and paid tribute to the departed soul. Tiwari was killed in an encounter with the Bihar Police earlier this month. While the police claimed they had to open fire in self-defence, the family alleged that he was killed in cold blood despite surrendering to the police. "The Congress party stands firmly with them in this fight for justice. Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, a young man who had long been raising his voice regarding the issues faced by local residents, was recently shot dead by the Bihar Police. Subsequent investigations revealed that not a single criminal case had been registered against the late Bharat Bhushan Tiwari," Rai said in a media statement after meeting his family. "An impartial, transparent, and time-bound investigation into Tiwari's death should be conducted to bring out the truth, and action must be taken against the guilty in accordance with the law. Securing justice for any citizen is the fundamental spirit of democracy and the Congress is committed to this principle," Rai added. Local Congress activists were also present in large numbers on the occasion, said a press statement issued by the party in Lucknow. htc...