The State BJP on Monday attacked the coalition Government in the State over “rise in criminal incidents” claiming that ‘Jungle Raj’ has returned in State.

On Sunday evening Jaivardhan Singh, a district general secretary of BJP in Latehar and a representative of Chatra MP Sunil Singh was shot dead at point-blank range in Latehar’s Barwadih block triggering uproar in the opposition over the ‘deteriorating law and order’ situation in UPA Jharkhand.

A delegation of BJP leaders headed by State General Secretary Pradeep Verma and Bokaro MLA Viranchi Narayan, Hatia MLA Naveen Jaiswal and state spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo met Director General of Police (DGP) MV Rao and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate arrest of culprits behind the incident.

Singh was killed near a Pragya Kendra in Barwadih around 7.30 pm on Sunday, police said. The spot is 100 metres away from DSP residence and local police station.

The BJP in its memorandum to DGP said the Sunday’s incident exposes deteriorating law and order situation in the State as criminals have no fear of police. It further stated that on earlier occasions too there was an attempt to kill Singh. During the Assembly election Singh had surrendered his licensed rifle at the local police station but even after passing six months the local police station has not returned his rifle.

The BJP leaders claimed that three days back Singh had asked for police protection fearing attack on him but the police neither returned his rifle nor provided security to him. The delegation claimed that in the last six months criminals and members of Left Wing Extremist (LWE) group have become active and in their radar are businessmen and BJP leaders.

State BJP president Deepak Prakash said, “Criminal and LWE incidents have gone up in the State in the last six months after JMM/Congress led alliance headed by Hemant Soren came in power.” He said incidents like this reflect that organised crime has returned in State and in such criminal incidents there is connivance of police. The BJP president claimed that it is ironic that DGP and Home Secretary the two important posts in the State are held by in-charges.

Echoing the views of the State president, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said, “The State Government should learn from neighboring state Uttar Pradesh on law and order and police action against criminals.”

Meanwhile, sources said the Latehar police have collected vital leads in the killing case. The Latehar police have detained several people in this connection. Sources said that police are investigating the case with various angles such as political rivalry and business.

A source in Latehar police said that Singh was a contractor and he may have developed rivalry with local gangs in the course of his work.