SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, July 8: A special squad of Giridih police arrested Dumka SP Amarjit Balihari’s killer and hardcore Naxal Hitesh alias Nandlal Soren from Kodadih village under Pirtand police station, around 35 km away from Giridih district headquarters.
Giridih Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Renu said that after getting a tip-off that Nandal Soren has come, a special squad of police was constituted for a raid in Kodadih village and an additional SAF force was put on alert for backup.
“In the raid, the police squad nabbed a suspected person whom local residents and people’s representatives identified as Hitesh alias Nandlal Soren alias Vijay Da. The state government had put Rs 25 lakh bounty on his head,” said SP Amit Renu to the media.
Besides the murder of the then Dumka SP Amarjit Balihari in 2014, Nandal was also involved in the killings of a poll worker and six policemen and snatching their rifles during the election.
The Giridih SP said Nandlal was generally active in the Dumka district. After arrest, he confessed his involvement in at least six incidents in Giridih district. A total of 32 cases are filed against him including 26 in Dumka district and 6 in Giridih.
SP Amit Renu said Nandlal’s wife Chandmuni Murmu is in Dumka jail in connection with three Naxal incidents. His nephew Chaman alias Lambu is also a dreaded Naxal and is active in the Saranda police station area. The state government has put a Rs 25 lakh reward on him too.
In 2020, the Giridih police arrested Prasant Majhi, Sudhir Kisku alias Suleman, and Prabha Di during an encounter at Pirtand police station but Chaman managed to escape from the spot.
SP Amit Renu said Giridih police had raided several times at Nandlal’s hide out but he always managed to escape.
“During a raid in Bokaro district, we seized his laptop and got detailed information about him and his wife Chandmuni Murmu,” he said.