Shutdown in Jharkhand against killing of JD (U) MLA

Few months after its threat to kill the former Jharkhand minister and the sitting Janata Dal (United) legislator, the Maoists gunned down him along with his two bodyguards on Wednesday while he was attending “Shikshak Samman & Pratibha Samman Samaroh” organised at the SS High School, Barihatu, in Bundu block in Ranchi. The state has been remained shutdown on Thursday called by the National Democratic Alliance for registering their protest against murder.

Maoists did whatever they said. On March 22 Ramesh Singh Munda had received a message on his mobile phone with a threat that he would be slained by April 02. Just two days later on March 24 the same SMS was sent to Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Aalamgir Aalam along with some other politicians.

One of the three security guards, Shesh Nath Singh, who survived in the attack, said that the whole Naxalite attack lasted for 10 minutes in which they attacked from all sides. Sir (the MLA) was lying in the pool of blood. Bullets were showering from all directions.

Munda was indulged in distributing prizes to the students of S S Memorial High School in the village when nearly 12 Naxalites barged into the hall after killing one his three body guards, Shiv Nath Minj and stray of bullets from all sides killed the MLA and his another body guard Khurshid Alam. The wittingly gun fire also killed a student on the spot. Several students also injured in a stampede followed by firing.

Munda's pulse was sinking gradually and the victims of the naxal attack were soon rushed to the nearby Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) where they were declared “brought dead.”

“The police are still investigating. It is clear that semi-automatic weapons were used. The MLA suffered multiple bullet wounds. However, the identity of the killers was far from being established,” said the Ranch SSP, M S Bhatia. He said he was not in a position to make out any statement at this juncture. We are anxiously waiting for complete report and autopsy report as well before making out any statement.

Meanwhile State Chief Minister Madhu Koda appealed the people to maintain peace in the state; condemned the incident and demanded for CBI inquiry. The SP Rural and the officer in-charge of Bundu were removed immediately.

“The government will leave no stone unturned in its fight against extremism in the state,” he said.

“The incident was unfortunate. However, according to information given by the local police, the legislator had not informed the local police about his participation in the prize distribution ceremony. This might be because the place of occurrence is quite near to the thana area. But the incident could have been averted had the local thana been informed,” said DGP VD Ram.

Munda was elected MLA for the second time from Tamar constituency. During the NDA government led by Babulal Marandi, he served the state as cabinet minister.

From killing innocent people, police, torching public property, police stations, the Maoists have had sprayed their killing wings to have the politicians at the death bed. Last year, Jharkhand Mukti Morch (JMM) MP Sunil Mahto was killed in Jamshedpur in Maoist attack on the day of Holi, when he had been invited to watch a football match. The second victim of Maoists became CPI-ML legislator Mahendra Singh.