Gumla Police is yet to reach the suspects of Kamdara shooting in which seven people were shot dead by ultras belonging to the People’s liberation Front of India (PlFI). The police claim that the people behind the killing though belong to the outfit are not based in Gumla.
Police are taken aback by the tremendous amount of fire power unleashed by the assailants on the vehicle that was carrying those who were killed in the gunfire. Apparently the greatest clue with the police is the ammunition used by ultras and based on it, police officials arrived at the conclusion that the incident is the handiwork of a faction of the PlFI based out of Gumla.
“It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that PlFI is behind the incident. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident and we are trying to zero in on persons behind it who appear to be a larger faction of PlFI. The firepower that was used to carry out the operation is beyond the capabilities of those units of PlFI who are active in Gumla,” said Gumla SP Bhim Sen Tuti.
The incident happened on Monday evening when a vehicle carrying seven persons including two SPOs was passing through Redwa Murkigana forest under Kamdara PS. Heavily armed ultras fired indiscriminately at the vehicle as it reached the Redwa locality.“Two persons who were killed in the incident were SPOs. So the incident must have been carried to silence them,” maintained Tuti.
Meanwhile, five ultras belonging to PlFI have been arrested from Karra in Khunti. Three among those arrested are said to be involved in many incidents and are wanted in cases registered in Khunti and elsewhere. The catch could be significant considering the proximity of the place where seven people were killed on Monday evening to Khunti.
Chief Secretary Sajal Chakraverty, who visited the incident site on Tuesday, asserted that anti-naxal operations will be intensified especially in the area as incident is a challenge for the police to address before polling begins in the State. The group had created ruckus during lok Sabha elections when some candidates had complained of PlFI creating hurdle in election campaign.