In a gruesome act of violence, 37-year-old Vinay Oraon was brutally murdered with an axe by a group of armed assailants in his parental home in Jilinga village under Dumardeeh Panchayat late on December 3. According to initial investigations, the motive behind the murder is suspected to be an alleged interfaith affair, as reported by local media.
Attack Details
The attack occurred around 1 a.m. when seven to eight criminals arrived at Oraon’s house. While two stood guard outside, five others entered and unscrewed the bulbs in the house to plunge it into darkness. The attackers then beat Oraon and dragged him to the courtyard, where they killed him with an axe.
Vinay’s uncle, Sanjay Oraon, reported that around midnight, he heard some sounds. When he peeked outside, some people were hurling abuses and telling him to go back inside, after which they threw a bomb, causing an explosion. He went inside, but no one was hurt by the blast, though the family members were left in a state of terror.
At the time of the attack, Oraon’s wife, Kalawati Devi, and his uncle, Sanjay Oraon, were present. Sanjay reported hearing noises and peeking outside, only to be threatened and forced back inside by the attackers.
Suspects and Police Investigation
The suspects include Sabin Ansari, Lala Miyan, and four accomplices, whose names have been mentioned in the complaint filed by Vinay’s uncle, Sanjay Oraon. Police officials recovered the victim’s body on Wednesday morning and sent it for post-mortem at Gumla Sadar Hospital.
Superintendent of Police Shubhu Kumar assured the media that all accused would be arrested soon and that the investigation was being conducted thoroughly. However, when approached for updates, the police declined to comment further, with calls from journalists going unanswered.
A First Information Report (FIR Number: 411/2024) was lodged at Gumla Police Station, where the accused have been charged under sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Alleged Previous Attack
Vinay Oraon had been residing with his wife, Kalawati, and their 10-year-old son in her parental home in Itki, Ranchi. He had returned to his village just 10 days before the attack. According to Kalawati, this was not the first attempt on her husband’s life. She revealed that Sabin Ansari and his associates had previously tried to kill Oraon in Ranchi about 10-15 days ago.
The murder has left the local community in shock. Family members are living in fear, and the incident has created an atmosphere of tension in the area. Bomb explosions by the attackers further traumatised the witnesses.
Call for Justice
While the exact motive remains under investigation, the murder has raised concerns about safety and the handling of such cases by authorities. The police have registered a case and are pursuing the suspects actively.
Organiser attempted to contact the police for the latest updates on the case. However, upon realising it was a journalist’s inquiry, the officials abruptly ended the call. Subsequent attempts to reach them went unanswered.
What the family told Organiser?
In an exclusive conversation with Organiser, Devram, the uncle of Vinay Uraon—brutally killed in Jharkhand’s Simdega district—alleged that the murder was a calculated act to seize their land. “It was all done to grab our land,” he claimed, highlighting the growing tensions in the region.
Devram accused certain Muslim settlers in the tribal belt of Jharkhand of exploiting local vulnerabilities. “These Muslims have largely occupied tribal areas and often marry tribal women to gain access to their land,” he stated, adding that Vinay’s wife, Kalawati, had previously eloped with Sabin Ansari, a local man. “Her elder sister also lives with a Muslim man. This is common here. We tribals are so vulnerable that they easily take advantage of us. We lost Vinay in this ‘land jihad.’”
Devram expressed dismay at the brutality of Vinay’s murder, mentioning that even the investigating officer was shocked by the extent of violence. He noted that Vinay’s parents, who work for the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department, were on their way to perform the last rites. “Vinay’s parents live and work in Himachal. If there was any trouble, Vinay had no one to confide in,” he said.
The land at the center of the dispute was reportedly given to Kalawati and her elder sister by their family. Devram alleged that Kalawati, who had eloped previously, was equally responsible for Vinay’s murder. “There were tensions over the land’s division. If she wasn’t involved, why were the doors left unlocked at 1 AM?” he questioned.
He further revealed that no one from Kalawati’s family attended Vinay’s funeral, raising additional suspicions. “Their absence speaks volumes. It’s hard to believe they had no role in this tragedy,” he remarked.
Devram expressed the family’s anguish, stating that Vinay’s young son remains with Kalawati’s family in Ranchi, leaving them feeling utterly devastated. “We lost our son, and now even his son is not with us. What is left for us to say?”
The police are reportedly questioning Kalawati as part of their investigation, but Devram’s words reflect the family’s sense of helplessness in the face of this tragedy. “We have lost everything,” he lamented.
