Relatives of the slain person in the shootout case of Monday evening at Harmu on Tuesday made a U-turn on their accusations of involvement of members of Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) in the incident and also denied receiving threat calls from the banned organization. Deceased, Ashok Kumar Paswan, was shot on Monday evening while on his way to home.
“They have not accused TPC in their statement recorded with the police and denied any ransom or threat issued to the family. We have registered a case against unidentified persons and we are pursuing the case. No arrest has been made so far,” said Argora PS in-charge, Awdhesh Kumar Thakur.
Paswan was working with CCl and was posted at Darbhanga House at Ranchi. He was earlier posted at Khalari and was transferred at CCl headquarter few months back. Paswan is survived with three children and wife, Jyoti Devi, who is Mukhiya of Benti Panchayat in Chatra.
The shootout has sparked protest from the residents of Sahjanand Chowk, where the incident happened, frightening people about their safety and security. The place of the shootout is a stone’s throw from the traffic outpost situated right opposite to the Chowk. Paswan was shot point blank range—one bullet had hit his hand while the other pierced through his cheek. The criminals had fled towards Argora after killing Paswan.
“What is the point of having a TOP when they can’t even stop a running criminalIJ Two to three policemen are always stationed there but their duty is to only see that a VIP vehicle passes through the area without any disturbance,” said a tea seller near Sahjanand Chowk. According to sources, Paswan was shot in the evening and was declared dead by doctors at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences.
Meanwhile, the incident has once again brought the issue of ultras spreading their tentacles beyond the dense forests right up to the urban areas and cementing their place by involving in criminal activities in urban areas while police failing consistently in pre-empting such elements. In the past, involvement of ultras in assassination of land brokers was unearthed in Ranchi and outskirts leading to arrest of members of People’s liberation Front of India from the peripheral areas of the capital.