VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribag, May.11: Barkagaon, which is the vegetable basket of the Hazaribag district and also known for mouth-watering jaggery is now on the path of becoming a second Dhanbad, ruled by coal mafias and gangsters in Jharkhand.
A shootout on Tuesday killing GM of Ritwik coal mining company Sharad Kumar has sparked panic in this region. The threat looms large on NTPC and other company officials who are working here making the police provide bodyguards to many. It is also one of the reasons that NTPC owns a bulletproof SUV for use by their senior officers visiting mines in Barkagaon.
NTPC has hired M/s Ritwik to operate its coal mines in Barkagaon.
Superintendent of Police Manoj Ratan Chauthe told Lagatar24.com that NTPC owns a bulletproof vehicle after getting clearance from the state and the centre. He said many gangs operating in the Barkagaon are eying contracts to demand levies. Our investigation is going on in the Sharad murder case and we got leads which is not right for us to reveal at this point, he said.
About slain Sharad Kumar, general manager of outsourcing Ritwik company, he used to sit in his office at Hazaribag town. He used to visit mines very less and so his killing had shocked many. The subdivisional police officer of Barkagaon Amit Kumar Singh admitted that NTPC has one bulletproof vehicle. Four senior officials here are using the vehicle whenever visiting Barkagaon, he added. Even during the visit of topmost NTPC officials to Barkagaon, this vehicle was always used.
About threats to NTPC and other company officials, Singh said regular operations by police had wiped out extremism from here. But criminals are taking advantage of the situation by passing threats and committing crimes, he added.
Sources said local goons to musclemen mount pressure on officials for contracts to get their men absorbed in the companies. In case the company fails to listen to their demands, they don’t hesitate to pass threats. So far in firing cases, two general managers of Thriveni Sainik were also murdered. Investigation revealed the hands of criminals who want undue favour in the contracts.
Singh told Lagatar24.com that someone had owned responsibility of killing Sharad. But as we knew well that extremism is wiped out, this is to divert police. We are working on this case with our teams and will bring the facts soon. Once we catch the shooters, names of those behind this killing will also come up, he added.
