Babulal Marandi demands judicial probe into alleged encounter killing of Surya Hansda in Jharkhand

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jharkhand unit president and the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Babulal Marandi on Wednesday called for a judicial probe from a sitting judge into the alleged encounter killing of Surya Narayan Hansda alias Surya Hansda.

Hansda was wanted in several criminal cases, and had contested Assembly elections on tickets from different political parties, including the BJP. He was allegedly killed in police firing early on Monday, following an attempt to escape from custody in Jharkhand’s Godda district.

“It was not an encounter but a murder, and it’s hard to digest his (Hansda’s) death,” Mr. Marandi alleged.

“If you (Chief Minister Hemant Soren) and your officers are so afraid of the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), then get it investigated under the chairmanship of a sitting judge of the High Court (of Jharkhand), and bring the truth in front of everyone, because no one is able to digest this act of the police,” Mr. Marandi told media persons in Ranchi.

Hansda’s wife and mother had “constantly accused” the police of murder, and had demanded a CBI probe, Mr. Marandi added.

“Some people in the Jharkhand Police have taken up the task of turning a tribal leader into a criminal, or to prove the innocent guilty, or to occupy land by taking money, or to give the mafias a free hand to spread terror,” he said, adding, “Some police officers have also taken up the task of conducting encounters to suppress someone’s voice on the basis of suspicions, or to kill tribals by providing freedom to a particular class.”

Hansda was wanted in several criminal cases in Jharkhand’s Godda and Sahibganj districts, and was arrested by the Godda police on Sunday from Deoghar, according to the Jharkhand Police.

After his arrest, Hansda was taken to Lalmatia to search for weapons on Monday, at which time his associates fired at a team of police personnel; Hansda tried to escape from custody; the police retaliated; and Hansda was killed in an exchange of fire, according to the police.

“Some policemen were providing shelter and protection to criminals in this (State) government,” Mr. Marandi alleged.

“The law and judicial system of India has always provided opportunities for those who have lost their path to return to the mainstream, but one such voice (Hansda) was silenced forever,” Mr. Marandi said.

Mr. Marandi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, referred to Hansda as a “public welfare activist”. “What could be more unfortunate for Jharkhand than that Hansda was not killed in an encounter but was murdered,” he said.

“He was murdered not by any criminal but by some cowardly people in uniform, who were afraid that the voice of tribals may shake them, or tribals may start fighting for their rights and resources in Jharkhand,” Mr. Marandi said.

“Entrapment in false cases, and harassment by filing false cases has become the government’s habit,” the BJP leader said, criticising the incumbent Soren government.