On October 2, 2015, the body of Tulsi Mahto, who was abducted one day before, was found from Chihutia forest area of Sadar block. His son has named AJSU leader Pradeep Prasad as one of the main accused in the kidnapping and murder case. Since then, police were trying to solve the murder mystery.
On Friday, SP Akhilesh Jha said that their team has solved the murder mystery and some arrests have been made.
Jha said that the murder was a result of land dispute between Munshi Mahto and Tulsi Mahto, both resident of village Hupad. Munshi Mahto had hired contract killers by paying Rs4 lakh through Bhuneshwar Mahto of village Fatha, who took help of Pradeep Mahto, Charka and Yugeshwar Mahto.
It was Pradeep Mahto and Charka who murdered Tulsi Mahto while rests helped them in abduction. Police have seized the mobiles of the accused through which all the conversations of the conspiracy were made.
SP Jha also said that on Friday night, Hazaribagh police had nabbed three suspected left ultras named Vikash Vishwakarma, Dilip Ganjhu and Rajendra Ganjhu and has recovered two 9mm pistols, 1 sixer and 11 cartridges and a Bolero form them. However, Ashok Paswan escaped. The Bolero is of Chatra district.