Jharkhand: BJP attacks state government over alleged ‘detention of journos’

Ranchi: Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] leaders in Jharkhand have expressed serious concerns over the alleged detentions of two of the local journalists who according to them were detained over reporting in Surya Hansda case.

Taking to X several senior leaders of the party accuses the police for allegedly detaining journalist Tirthnath Aakash and Sunita Munda.

The BJP leaders alleged that the said journalists were picked up at midnight and made to sit in police station over reporting in Surya Hansda case.

Launching a scathing attack on the government, BJP state president in Jharkhand Babu Lal Marandi said “In Jharkhand it is not a government but a dictatorship that is running”.

Marandi alleged that Hansda had become the biggest obstacles to the illegal earnings of crores and billions from mining. “For the corrupt officials and brokers of the state, Surya had become a thorn,” he said.

The former CM also accused the government for going after the media persons reporting on the case. “The way two tribal journalists were arrested last night clearly shows that the government is rattled by the fear of the truth being exposed,” said Marandi while reiterating his demand for a CBI probe in the Surya Hansda case.

Hansda was reportedly arrested by police from Navadih of Deoghar on August 10. He was killed in an encounter with the police on August 11 when he allegedly tried to escape by snatching weapons from police personnel.

The police maintained that Hansda was involved in several criminal activities and was killed when he tried to run away from the police custody. Hansda was being taken to Jhirni Dhimi hills after he allegedly disclosed about weapons being hidden in the locality.

The BJP however has raised serious doubts over Hansda’s encounter, demanding a CBI probe into the matter or an inquiry under the sitting judge of High Court. The matter was also raised by BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash in the parliament.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes [NCST] had also issued notices to the Jharkhand’s state secretary, DGP and others.

Meanwhile the state’s CID on Thursday reportedly took over the investigation into the Surya Hansda case.

Hansda, a tribal activist and a former BJP leader had contested state assembly elections from Borio seat for four times. In 2019 Hansda contested the election on a BJP ticket, finishing second. He last contested on a ticket from Jharkhand Kranti Lok Morcha in state assembly elections 2024.