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TPC orchestrated murder of BJP leader in Balumath, four held: Latehar Police
Police said they arrested four TPC operatives, including the two shooters, and have recovered the weapons and motorcycle used in the crime.
The Tritiya-Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TPC) cadres were involved in the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and coal transporter Rajendra Prasad Sahu due to a money dispute, Latehar Police said on Saturday.
Police said they arrested four TPC operatives, including the two shooters, and have recovered the weapons and motorcycle used in the crime.
Police identified the arrested accused as Jitendra Vishwakarma (26) and Shivpujan Singh, also known as Motka (27), Ashwini Kumar Singh (27), who handled the shooters and provided them with arms and Kuldeep Ganjhu (38), who sheltered them in his home.
Sahu, a former vice-president of Latehar zila parishad, was shot at by motorcycle-borne unidentified gunmen near Doon school in Balumath area on August 12. He succumbed to bullet injuries on August 14 in a Ranchi hospital.
During a press conference in Latehar on Saturday, the superintendent of police (SP) Anjani Anjan provided details. “The mastermind behind the murder was TPC commander Akraman Ganjhu. He orchestrated the conspiracy and deployed members of the outfit’s sleeper cell to carry out the attack. Akraman Ganjhu had a longstanding monetary dispute with the deceased. Rajendra owed money to the TPC commander, which he did not repay,” the SP said.
“Except Kuldeep, who was a local, the three hailed from Garhwa district and acted as a sleeper cell of the TPC outfit,” the SP said.
According to the SP, Akraman Ganjhu, who carried a cash reward of ₹15 lakh, had held the position of regional committee member within the outfit and had multiple cases registered against him across Chatra, Latehar, Palamu, Ranchi, and Hazaribagh districts.
The SP said Akraman had dispatched two shooters – Vishwakarma and Shivpujan for reconnaissance. However, the BJP leader caught wind of their intentions and gave chase. “The confrontation between both parties occurred near Doon School in Jhariwa Tola, during which the shooters fired four bullets into Sahu’s body before fleeing,” the SP said.
The seriously injured BJP leader succumbed to his injuries two days later while undergoing treatment in Ranchi. His death incited unrest in the adjacent areas of Balumath, police said.
Recovered from their possession were four pistols, 30 live rounds of ammunition, four magazines, four mobile phones, a motorcycle, a router, and clothing.
Balumath’s Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Ajeet Kumar, and members of the special investigation team were also in attendance.
