Hazaribagh (Jharkhand):
A 42-year-old NTPC official was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne gunmen in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on Saturday, police said.
Six people have been detained for interrogation in connection with the murder of Kumar Gaurav who was posted as deputy general manager (dispatch) at NTPC’s Keredari coal mines project, Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police (SP) Arvind Kumar Singh said.
The incident happened around 9.30 AM near Fatah More under the Katkamdag Police Station limits when the gunmen intercepted his car and fired at him, the SP said.
At that time, Gaurav was on his way to the coal mine site from his quarters in Hazaribagh town, he said.
Singh said the driver of the car, in which Gaurav was travelling, was found missing after the incident.
The SP said a special investigation team (SIT) led by Barkagaon Sub-Divisional Police Officer Pawan Kumar has been constituted to probe into the incident.
A search operation has been initiated to arrest those involved in the murder.
Jharkhand BJP president and leader of opposition in the assembly Babulal Marandi condemned the incident and urged the state DGP to ensure the safety of all project officials, staffers and businesses in coal mine areas.
“I am shocked by the incident of shooting and killing of DGM Gaurav Kumar of NTPC coal project in Hazaribagh,” Marandi wrote on X.
Marandi said even after an attack on a coal trader in Ranchi on Saturday, the police did not remain alert.
“Ultimately, the criminals ended the life of a promising officer. The confidence of criminals has increased during the rule of the Hemant Soren-led coalition regime,” he alleged.
The BJP leader also claimed, “In Jharkhand, thousands of trucks of coal are being stolen every day from Dhanbad, Bokaro, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, and Chatra under the protection of the government machinery, and the money amassed from such theft is being distributed from top to bottom. If this theft is not stopped, lives will continue to be lost like this.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
