Protests, demonstrations and road blockades over allegations of political violence returned to Jharkhand with the main Opposition party BJP targeting the State Government over the murder of local BJP leader, Jitram Munda. Munda, was shot dead in Ormanjhi area on the outskirts of state capital Ranchi on late Wednesday evening.
Munda, the Ranchi district president of the BJP’s scheduled tribe wing, was taken to a private hospital after being shot by unidentified bike-borne assailants. He was rushed to Bhagwan Mahavir Medanta hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. A BJP worker Rajkishore Sahu, who was accompanying him also suffered bullet injury on his hand.
On Thursday, the BJP workers protesting against the murder of their party leader hit the road. The agitating BJP workers with the dead body blocked the busy Ranchi-Patna NH-75 for hours. The BJP protest was led by BJP Mahila Morcha president Arti Kujur and Mandar former MLA Gangotri Kujur. The BJP workers were demanding the immediate arrest of culprits behind the incident. Due to BJP workers' protest, there was a long queue of vehicles on the NH-75.
The BJP workers protest continued at RIMS where the body was brought for post mortem. The BJP workers protest at RIMS was led by party Kanke MLA Samri Lal. Meanwhile, State BJP president Deepak Prakash blasted the state government. Prakash targeting the JMM/Congress alliance government said that BJP workers and leaders are being targeted.
He said, “In the JMM/Congress alliance government the law and order situation has deteriorated. In the present government no one is safe.” Prakash, setting an ultimatum for the state government said, “If the government fails to arrest the culprit the BJP will be left with no other alternative but to stage a protest. The way Munda was killed it is clear that criminals have no fear of police.”
Munda was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants while he was coming out of a roadside eatery in Ormanjhi police station area in the evening. Union Minister Arjun Munda, who visited the medical establishment, said that the killing was an outcome of administrative failure and demanded a thorough inquiry into the murder.
“The slain BJP leader was attacked in the past too and had applied for a license to keep a firearm for safety. However, the state government neither provided him with security nor with a license. The State Government should order a thorough probe and make public the administrative lapses," the Union Tribal Affairs Minister said.