Accused of illegal mining case attacked by bombs in Jharkhand’s Sahebganj

“Bombs were locally made with the help of ‘sutli’ and explosives. Their impact was not significant. Five assailants, who were waiting for them near an under-construction road with the bombs in their bags, made the attack, but Mandal’s driver managed to escape by driving the vehicle on the uneven under-construction road,” Sahebganj SP Naushad Alam said.

Subesh Mandal, an accused in an illegal mining case questioned recently by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), was attacked by crude bombs near his home in Sahebganj district on Friday evening, officials said on Saturday.

Subesh Mandal, an accused in an illegal mining case was attacked by crude bombs near his home in Sahebganj district (Agencies/Representative use)

The incident occurred on Friday evening when he was on his way home to Derhma under the Rajmahal police station area in an SUV with his driver and three others in Sahebganj district, officials said.

Mandal, driver Subhas Paswan, Ghisu Mandal, Dinesh Mandal, and Ravi Shah sustained injuries in the incident and are presently undergoing treatment at different hospitals in West Bengal and Sahigbganj, they added.

The superintendent of police of the district, Naushad Alam, said the incident took place in Maskalaiya, about 370 km from Jharkhand’s capital, under the Taljhari police station of Sahibganj district and 23 km from the district headquarters.

“Bombs were locally made with the help of ‘sutli’ and explosives. Their impact was not significant. Five assailants, who were waiting for them near an under-construction road with the bombs in their bags, made the attack, but Mandal’s driver managed to escape by driving the vehicle on the uneven under-construction road,” he said.

When asked about further action, SP Alam added, “Two persons have been detained in connection with this, and they are being questioned. Primary investigation suggests gang rivalry. Subesh has a criminal background.”

An FIR under sections 397, 341, 342, 324, 326, and 427 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), besides relevant sections of the Arms Act and Indian Explosive Substance Act, has been registered in this connection based on the statement of the injured, the officials said.

Regarding an illegal mining case in which CBI had questioned Mandal before yesterday’s attack, SP Alam said, “The case arose after Vijay Hansda filed an online FIR last year in May at Jirwari outpost of Boriyo police station, informing about illegal mining at Nimbu Pahad, and then knocked on the doors of the Jharkhand high court, demanding a probe by an independent agency. The high court entertained his petition and on August 18 directed CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry and report within a month.”