RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug.14: BJP leader- cum-coal dealer Rajendra Sahu, who was shot at and injured on Saturday evening at Jhariva Toli, about 100 km from here under the Balumath police station area of Latehar district, today succumbed to his bullet injuries at Medica in the capital.
As information of his death reached his native town, thousands of people turned up on the road to protest against the deteriorating law and order in the State. Agitating people set vehicles on fire and blocked the road which connects Balumath with Ranchi.
By noon, over 1000 people assembled in front of Balumath police station demanding immediate identification and arresting of the culprit involved in killing the BJP leader. A locality resident said though majority of demonstrators were from the BJP and the Bajrang Dal, they had moral support of all the parties.
Latehar Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Mohan and Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan could not be contacted for their comments. The locality resident said entire shops of the district were closed as people staged protests on roads. “The situation is expected to turn worse on arrival of the deceased’s body and sensing the gravity of the situation, police personnel in big numbers have been deputed in the troubled area,” the resident said.
On August 12, assailants had shot Sahu at his chest, arm and thigh when he was returning to his home at Teli Tola from his office near old Kasturba Vidyalaya. He was rushed to Medica in Ranchi for super special treatment. As Sahu remained admitted in the hospital, police conducted raids at several locations but failed to get any clue of assailants.
Sahu was returning home from his office at Teli Tola. His office is near the old Kasturba Vidyalaya. Some people stopped them on the way and fired at them. As soon as people heard the sound of the bullet, people ran towards the spot, the criminal also fled.
So far, the role of Aman Sahu gang is suspected behind the murder. The first attempt to kill Sahu was made in 2021 when three criminals riding an Apache bike entered the crusher of Chennai Radha Company and fired indiscriminately. Sandeep Kumar Gupta, a worker of the crusher and Pappu Kesari, a loader operator, were shot in this. Sahu had survived the attack.
Former Zilla Parishad Vice President Sahu had also contested the MP election from Chatra Lok Sabha constituency. Apart from this, he used to actively participate in social works across the district.
