VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribag, May.9: GM (General Manager) of Ritwik Company Sharad Kumar was shot dead in broad daylight on busy Hazaribag-Barkagaon road. Sharad Kumar and his bodyguard Rajendra Prasad were badly injured in this firing. Sharad was shot in the chest and the bodyguard was shot in the waist. Driver Amarendra Kumar Pandey had a miraculous escape.
M/s Ritwik is an outsourcing company hired by NTPC for mining of coal block at Chatti-Bariatu in Barkagaon.
It was not yet not clear as what was the reason behind this murder. Superintendent of Police Manoj Ratan Chauthe said they are working on all possible angles to crack this case. He said massive checking drive has started and they will soon nab the culprits.
Eyewitness driver Amrendra said three masked youths carried out the incident at near Hethgadha of Hazaribagh-Barkagaon road at around 12 o’clock. After firing, the criminals managed to escape from there. According to the driver, manager Sharad was going to the site office in a SUV. When the SUV reached near Hethgadha, the speed of the vehicle slowed down due to poor condition of the road. He said taking advantage of the situation, unknown criminals opened fire. One bullet broke the window glass of the SUV and hitting the chest of Sharad. Bodyguard Rajendra Prasad sustained three bullets in his waist. His condition is stated to be critical.
Firing sparked panic in the area with people gathered there. They hurriedly took the bleeding bodyguard to Arogyam Hospital in Hazaribagh.
Getting information about the incident, the police of Barkagaon, Keredari and Dadikala reached on the spot and started their investigation. SP Hazaribag Manoj Ratan Chauthe, ASP Kumar Subhashish and Barkagaon SDPO Amit Kumar also reached the spot and took stock of the situation.
This is fifth firing incident in Barkagaon after the coal mines became operational. Earlier in 2019, AGM of Thriveni company, Gopal Singh was shot dead in posh Jullu Park locality of Hazaribag town. In 2021, project co-ordinator of LNT Company was shot near Pundri chowk on Hazaribag-Barkagaon road. Beside this, two more firing incidents had taken place in Langatu site office in Barakagon injuring Umesh Sao and Sikandar Sao.
