Jharkhand Mukti Morcha vice president lakhai Hansda was killed in a bomb attack at Karandih under Parsudih police station area on Monday night.
A gang of criminals, along with some suspected activists of the JMM, triggered the attack due to a dispute over a plot of land at Ghaghidih, which also falls under the same police station.
Though the police have recovered the SUV used in the murder, from a place in neighbouring Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, they are yet to make an arrest in connection to the incident.
The incident took place on Sunday night when lakhai (34) was about to board his SUV at Karandih when another SUV arrived there and before the victim could understand anything, one of the criminals of the SUV came out of the vehicle and hurled a country-made bomb targetting him and sped away towards Potka.
The blast was severe and lakhai's stomach region was ripped apart. He was immediately rushed to Tata Main Hospital's emergency unit, where he succumbed to his injuries. According to sources, lakhai had spoken to the party district president Ramesh Hansda a few minutes before he was attacked.
"I am in state of shock over the incident. We had just met at the Karandih last night. As I headed towards my house in Karandih and lakhai was about to start for his house at Bheradipa in Bagbera the attack took place," recalled Ramesh Hansda.
Ramesh informed that lakhai had been implicated in a murder case in 2012 and was lodged in jail for one-and-half-years in connection with the Ganesh Soren murder case.
He pointed out there is every possibility that another JMM functionary Doctor Tuddu of Parsudih is suspected to be behind the murder. Tuddu wanted to sell out a plot of land at Ghaghidih unauthorisedly to which the victim protested.
East Singhbhum senior superintendent of police Amol V Homkar said that no one has been arrested in connection with the murder.
"The investigation is moving in the right direction. We are hopeful to arrest the culprits soon," said Homkar. He also declined to comment whether the SUV used in the murder had been seized by the police today. lakhai is survived by his wife Dangi Hansda and two minor sons.