Jharkhand journo murdered for not agreeing to Maoist’s levy demands

The Maoists splinter group Tritiya-Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TPC) had got the Chatra-based TV journalist Indradev Yadav aka Akhilesh Pratap Singh killed when he did not agree to their repeated demands for levy. The outlawed extremist outfit had demanded Rs 7 lakh as levy from the slain scribe.

The Chatra police on Tuesday made this revelation claiming to have solved the journalists’ murder mystery.

The police nabbed Suraj Sao, the representative of Simaria MLA and chairman of Jharkhand housing board Ganesh Ganjhu on Monday night. His was the third arrest in this case so far. The police had earlier arrested Birbal Sao and Jhaman Sao, both supporters of Simaria legislators on Monday.

The Chatra superintendent of police Anjani Kumar Jha said, “The TPC ultra Mukesh Ganjhu was the mastermind of the murder. He had plotted the journalists’ murder on Thursday morning after the scribe did not pay him levy. Suraj Sao was also present there. The TPC had demanded Rs seven lakh as levy from Indradev for executing transmission line work with NTPC.”

The mastermind of the murder Mukesh Ganjhu is considered to be the number two in the TPC after its supremo Brajesh Ganjhu.

The Chatra SP further said, “A total of six persons were involved in the murder. Three of them have been arrested while the raids are being conducted to nab others.”

The TPC cadre Mukesh Ganjhu, shooter Munesh Ganjhu and an unidentified person were absconding.

The SP said, “Birbal had called Indradev on the pretext the arranging a meeting with Suraj on that night. Jhaman had helped the shooters Munesh Ganjhu and other yet to be traced identify the journalist and passed information about his movement to the shooters.”

Read | Press freedom groups urge probe into journalist killings

The Tazza TV journalist was killed by unidentified persons near Dewaria Panchayat secretariat under the Sadar police station in Chatra district on Thursday night. He died on the spot.

The murder had triggered widespread condemnation of the attacks on journalists across the country. The locals of Chatra town had on Friday observed bands and blocked NH 99 for seven hours demanding immediate arrest of culprits, compensation of Rs 50 lakh and government job to the kin.

Three days after the murder of a TV journalist in Chatra, the Jharkhand CM had announced a financial assistance of Raj 5 lakh for the victim’s family besides seeking a report from the DGP about the progress made in the case.

Read | Rs 5 lakh compensation for Jharkhand journalist’s family

The CCTV footage that had captured Birbal along with the journalist just before the murder provided the vital leads. The police nabbed Birbal the same night and during interrogation, he revealed the entire plot, said the police.

The police had on Saturday sought the services of a photo analyst to identify a.suspect captured in CCTV footage near the spot.

The police had earlier seized the bike used in the crime from a house owned by one Jairam Singh Bhokta in Lawalong of Chatra. Police also seized three mobile sets in this connection.