Following the brutal killing of BJP leader Bhaiya Ram Munda at Bagma village under Murhu Block of Khunti, an FIR has been lodged against seven villagers and six People’s liberation Front of India (PlFI) cadres at Murhu Police Station.
Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Raghubar Das has directed the Khunti SP to take immediate action in this regard and asked Home Secretary SKG Rahate to provide Rs 1 lakh to the deceased family members and Rs 50,000 each for the injured persons as per the provisions in the State Government.
“An FIR has been lodged against seven persons of the village and 5-6 PlFI cadres has been lodged in Murhu Police Station and efforts are being made to arrest those involved in it,” said Khunti SP Ashwini Kumar Sinha. Investigations were on and all aspects, including land dispute, are being considered to reach out to the culprits, he added.
Das also announced additional Rs 2 lakh to Munda’s family from the party fund. The BJP leader was the vice-president of Murhu Block Unit of BJP, Secretary of BJP's Khunti District Unit (ST Front) and Secretary of Maharshi Menhi Ashram.
He along with his brother was also engaged in road construction work in the area. The PlFI rebels had allegedly demanded levy from Bhaiya Ram, which was not paid heed by him. Police has revered more than a dozen of dead cartridges from the spot.
Incidentally, BJP leader Bhaiya Ram Munda was killed when over a dozen suspected PlFI cadres opened fired indiscriminately on him on Friday midnight by pulling him out from his house during which his mother Faguni Devi, cousin brother Bhai Birsa Munda and his second wife Salgi Devi also got injured in the incident.
Salgi Devi has been referred to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences while the other two injured persons have been admitted to Khunti Sadar Hospital.
The State BJP Unit, condemning the incident, since the Maoists in State is targeting the innocent persons they have started targeting them.
“Killing of Baiya Ram Munda is really shameful which must be criticized by all walks of life,” said State BJP Spokesperson Praveen Prabhakar. The Chief Minister has fixed a target to remove Naxalism from this state for which intensive anti-Naxal operation is being carried out all over the State, he added.
On the one hand, the security forces are cornering the Maoists to kill them while on the other hand, development works are being carried out in the left Wing Extremism affected areas, he added.