SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, August 1: A ‘Khatal’ operator identified as Dhananjay Yadav (35) was brutally stabbed and gunned down by unidentified criminals in his house in the presence of his wife and children in Singh Nagar under the Jharia police station, around 11 km away from here on late night of Monday.
A police official said the incident occurred around 12.30 midnight. Half a dozen criminals lashed with sharp weapons and pistols stormed the house of Dhananjay Yadav. First, they stabbed him with sharp weapons and later gunned him down to ensure his death. Criminals also exploded hand grenades after killing Yadav. Police seized one live grenade from the room.
Rivalry over illegal coal mining and coal collection in nearby mines is being said to be the reason behind the crime. The bloody clash between the two groups had also occurred in January this year.
After getting information, Jharia police station in-charge Santosh Kumar Singh and Sindri SDPO Abhishek Kumar under which the incident area falls also reached the spot and conducted raids in Bastakola and Rajpura areas in search of suspected killers.
Bhagwan Yadav, father of the victim, said that at mid night criminals knocked on the door of his son’s room at around 12.30 am. As his daughter-in-law opened, they stormed into the room. First, they hit Dhananjay with sharp weapons in front of his two children and later gunned him down. Before fleeing they also exploded a grenade.
It is said that Dhananjay Yadav was a supporter of former Jharia MLA Sanjiv Singh and his rival Rambabu Dhikkar is considered an associate of former deputy mayor late Neeraj Singh. Both the groups had clashed in January this year.
Police officials said raids are being conducted at suspected places of criminals. The body has been sent to a medical college hospital for post-mortem.
BJP state executive committee member and wife of former MLA Sanjiv Singh has alleged that the BJP supporters are being made the target of killing in Jharia as law and order has collapsed in the region. It is unfortunate that criminals gunned him down openly in the house, she added.
