Ranchi: A general manager of a mining firm engaged by power utility NTPC for mining at its captive coal mine was allegedly shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Barkagaon in Hazaribag district on Tuesday, officials said.
According to officials, the deceased, identified as Sharad Kumar, was killed by two bike-borne gunmen who fired from close range near Barkagaon Forest Guest House while he was proceeding to a site office in an SUV.
“Kumar’s bodyguard was also injured in the attack. Both were brought to a private hospital where Kumar was declared dead on arrival. The miscreants were masked and appeared to be sharpshooters. Though the motive of the murder is not yet clear, the attack appears to be planned,” Hazaribagh superintendent of police (SP) Manoj Ratan Chothe said.
A case has been registered with Barkagaon police station, but no arrest has been made so far.
With a senior executive been killed in board daylight, senior officials, including additional general of police (operations), Sanjay Latkar rushed to Hazaribag and took stock of the situation, sources said.
The MDO was engaged by NTPC at Chatti Bariatu coal mine, which is captive mines of the central PSU NTPC. The power utility officials said partial operations have started at the mines and coal was being supplied to North Karnpura power project at Tandwa, around 30 kilometres from the mining site.
“The captive mines is also linked to Barh and Kanti power projects in neighbouring Bihar. We had been rolling down operations at the mines smoothly, but this could instill fear in the work force,” an NTPC official said.
