Don ‘tied’ to NTPC DGM murder killed by cops during escape bid | India News
DALTONGANJ/RANCHI/HAZARIBAG: Three days after motorcycle-borne men gunned down a senior NTPC official in Hazaribag, a Jharkhand police anti-terrorist squad killed self-styled don Aman Sahu, whose gang was among those suspected to be behind the official’s murder.
Witnesses and police said while Sahu, 30, was being brought to Ranchi from Chhattisgarh’s Raipur jail to appear in an ongoing NIA court case, a shootout ensued when his accomplices tried to free him by hurling bombs at the prison van transporting him.
All MLAs, cutting across party lines, said Sahu deserved to die, while govt said in the assembly that the circumstances leading to the encounter would be investigated. “Police have the right to retaliate in self-defence. Tuesday’s encounter is also a message to other criminals that the state govt will not tolerate them,” state minister Sudivya Kumar said. Though leader of opposition Babulal Marandi backed the police and said it should not sit idle when shot at, former CM Champai Soren, however, criticised the police for failing to ensure Sahu’s security and demanded a CBI probe. “Sahu would have revealed the truth and that was why he was killed,” he claimed.
Sahu’s family members, including his gangster brother Aakash who is currently in jail, countered police version through his counsel and claimed that encounter was stage-managed. The incident took place nearly 173 km from Ranchi.
Palamu SP Reeshma Ramesan said the hurling of bombs at the van created an abrupt commotion and Sahu snatched a rifle from ATS havildar Rakesh Kumar and fired at him. “The cop was also injured in the grappling incident and was later admitted to Daltonganj medical college with an abrasion on his thigh. Sahu paid with his life in retaliatory action. The rear glass pane of the van ferrying Sahu was totally destroyed by the bombs,” Ramesan said.
Said to be connected to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Sahu was also likely to be questioned about involvement in the killing of NTPC official Kumar Gaurav and shooting at a Ranchi-based coal trader last week for extortion. His operations, mainly murders, shooting warnings and extortion, stretched beyond Jharkhand to West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
Aman Sahu, who had 130 cases against him, was tied with ropes and handcuffed when his accomplices hurled two bombs at the police van at about 9.15 am at Anharee Dhounra, 16 km from Daltonganj town, Palamu district.
“Aakash, who applied for bail soon after the encounter to attend his brother’s last rites, expressed fear that he, too, may be eliminated similarly. Appearing in his bail hearing online, Aakash also expressed concern for the safety of his family members,” Hemant Shikarwar, Akash’s counsel, said.
Later, Ramesan said a magisterial inquiry would be conducted since Sahu was on judicial transit remand. “We will be sending a report about the encounter to the NHRCwithin two days,” the SP said.
