M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, April 24: The Balumath block president of JMM Dil Sher Khan, 30, was shot dead at the railway coal siding in Kusmahi in Balumath of the Latehar district on Sunday.
“Khan was brought dead to the sadar hospital, Latehar ,” said the doctor on duty in the sadar hospital, Latehar Dr Sarwan Mahto.
The attending doctor said Khan had a forehead firearm injury. The killer appeared to be highly professional, as evident from the shot in the forehead.
Sources said Khan was almost shot at point blank range. Initial reports said the killers were three in number and were on a bike. The killer knew his target well also. The post mortem would be performed by a three-person doctor team.
“All attempts would be made to retrieve the lodged bullet,” said Dr Mahto.
“At first hand the shoot out which killed Khan does not appear to be any handiwork of the naxals. There is no handwritten note left behind. Business rivalry or one upmanship in coal siding work can’t be ruled out,” said SP Latehar Anjani Anjan.
Latehar district president of the JMM Moti Lal Shahdeo, has expressed his profound grief over the murder of the Balumath block president of the JMM Dil Sher Khan.
Shahdeo said this morning Khan spoke to him on the phone. Khan told him that a fire had erupted in the coal dump at the railway coal siding of Kusmahi. Khan asked him to help send a fire brigade to douse the fire. He also assured him of the fire tender.
“Khan was in his second term as the Balumath block president of the JMM and was a popular figure,” said Shahdeo.
Sources said Khan was handling the railway coal siding at Kusmahi. It was resented by vested interests, which had cast an eye on this railway coal siding business at Kusmahi. Latehar district has a prolific trade in railway coal sidings, as many as four in the district.
This railway coal siding was in the hands of the JMM, while others are said to be in the hands of people having different political allegiances.
“We believe police will investigate this daylight murder case in a professional manner to find out if there was any pre planned conspiracy or political killing or any element of business rivalry in the railway coal siding,” Latehar district president of the JMM, Moti Lal Shahdeo said.
Shahdeo made it clear that it would be too premature to jump to any conclusion, repeating his stand to let police investigate and unearth the cause of the murder and book the killer or killers.
Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, a civil society activist, has demanded the early arrest of the assailants as he said this kind of daylight murder reflects the sliding down of the law and order.
Mumtaz further said police should keep all angles open, like conspiracy or political warfare, over the railway coal siding where coal is loaded into the railway rakes. No police officer is taking calls.
