A day after the general manager of a mining firm engaged by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was shot dead by unknown assailants, the Hazaribag police on Wednesday instituted a special investigation team (SIT) headed by sub divisional police officer of Barkagaon even as the accused continue to be at large.
Hazaribag superintendent of police Manoj Ratan Chothe said the nine-member SIT also has members of the technical cell.
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“The SDPO would monitor the case investigation. We have some leads and are working on. We are probing the case from all possible angles as far as possible motive behind the case is concerned,” said Chothe.
The SP said FIR (first information report) has been registered according to the statement of the driver who was driving the vehicle in which Sharad Kumar was shot dead. The FIR has been registered under sections 302, 357, 333, 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 27 of the Arms Act, the SP added.
Two bike-borne gunmen shot dead Kumar from close range near Barkagaon Forest Guest House when he was travelling in his vehicle to a site office.
Kumar’s bodyguard Rajendra Prasad, a jawan of Jharkhand police, was also injured in the attack.
The deceased was a senior official of a mining developer cum operator (MDO) firm engaged at Chatti Bariatu coal mine, which is a captive mine of NTPC.
The coal bearing area in Hazaribag has had a history of gang wars by different groups for domination and extortion, besides being infested by splinter groups of outlawed CPI (Maoist).
While the police have refused to reveal the exact line of investigation, involvement of naxal group for levy collection can’t be ruled out at this stage.
Ankit Gope, who introduced himself as spokesperson of PLFI, a splinter group, called a few media offices on Tuesday night and claimed responsibility for the crime.
“It has come to our knowledge as well. But we need to investigate the call records to authenticate it. That is why we are not ruling out any angle at this stage,” said the SP.
