Rivalry over sand trading in Kharkai river-ghats took an ugly turn when a gang of bike-borne assailants attacked a 35-year-old man near S-Type area on Tata-Kandra Road under Adityapur police station area in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
The victim, Deepak Munda was first attacked with two nails bombs, then was shot at in the head and finally stabbed in the chest following which he died in his SUV.
Munda, a JMM activist a resident of adjoining Saldih Bustee in Adityapur, was having tea, criminals came on three motorcycles and attacked him and fled toward Gamharia after ensuring that Munda was dead.
As the news spread, the police officers from Adityapur police station Arvind Kumar rushed to the spot. Kumar subsequently removed the body to the MGM Medical College mortuary for post-mortem.
later Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police, Indrajeet Mahatha reached the spot and inspected the spot and the SUV.
Munda was also attacked with two bombs, shot at twice in the head and chest and was finally stabbed in the chest. Raja who was sipping tea with Munda confirmed that he was with the victim at the time of the attack, but he could not see who the attackers were.
I am in state of shock and don’t recognize the assailants. I heard the explosion at the SUV's driving seat window. Soon I run behind the SUV for a cover. I heard two gun-shots also," said Raja while talking to the newsmen. Raja said the S-Type area was Munda's regular meeting point, where he used to come every morning.
Mahatha while talking to claimed that they have detected the main person involved in Munda's murder, but due to absence of any substantial evidence they are not able to disclose his name. He pointed out that from the initial probe it appears that the murder took place due to some kind of rivalry in the sand trading.
" It is early to comment but as per our information the murder victim, Munda, was not directly involved in the sand trading, but rather he was an associate of one Bobby Singh of Adityapur who has recently got the environment clearance (EC) for sand lifting from Kharkai river. There were few others who were competing for getting the EC. As Munda was the right hand of Bobby, the rival must have eliminated him," said the superintendent of police.
He pointed out Munda had a criminal background and was accused in the cases like Arms Act, Extortion and attempted murder, but since the past five years he was concentrating on the business activity with Bobby Singh.
It may be mentioned that unlawful sand mining has become active along the course of the Kharkai and Subarnarekha rivers. Excavation of sand, most of it illegal, to meet the requirements of the booming construction industry in Jamshedpur has put the officials of the district on their toes. Though lifting of sand from river-ghats have been banned but for slum-dwellers residing along Kadma Sonari Marine Drive the business of piling up and selling sands is on the rise.
