The murder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader, Jeedan Horo, has sparked protest as the party cadres on Saturday laid siege Ranchi-Khunti-Chaibasa road affecting badly passenger services. The service was resumed by evening only after the blockade was removed. Over three dozen buses suspended operation causing inconvenience to hundreds of commuters.
Horo was killed in Khunti on Friday evening when he was heading back to his home situated in Khunti Toli in Torpa Road. According to reports, he was killed by two motorcycle borne assailants. Horo was shot twice in the head. The 45-year-old JMM leader had contested Assembly election in 2014 on the party’s ticket.
Vehement protest by the party workers forced buses to go off the road as the buses remained stationed at Khadgarha bus-stand where as just a handful bound for Chaibasa left from the major bus-stand. Buses started plying after 3.30pm and only when the protest waned. Around 35 buses could not depart on time due to the protest on Saturday.
“Only one bus for Chaibasa left from the bus stand. Buses for Khunti, Karra, Govindpur did not operate until the routes become clear of protestors. We had a very bad day today because of very few booking since morning,” said one of the agents, Mohammad Javed.
Suspended operations caused a great deal of inconvenience to commuters besides hitting the revenue collection of bus operators significantly. Passengers bound to Khunti especially those who reached Ranchi by train anticipating easy ride to Khunti by road.
“I boarded early morning train from Dhanbad to Ranchi as I had to continue my journey towards Khunti and I was expecting that I would return by evening. But the protest altered my travel itinerary,” said a school teacher from Dhanbad, SP Singh.
Meanwhile, JMM leaders including leader of the principal opposition in Jharkhand Assembly, Hemant Soren and other senior leader rushed to Khunti to meet the kin of Horo. Even as the party workers staged massive protest at Khunti, the party’s Ranchi unit is planning to take the battle further by planning a series of protest in the capital.
“Our leaders have gone there. We will consult them on what to do and how to do. As of now, we are planning to call bandh to seek protection of our leaders and arrest of the culprit,” said president of Town JMM, Antu Tirkey.