National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken-up investigation of Latehar rebel attack case where over a dozen armed rebels of CPI (Maoist) headed by sub zonal commander Ravindra Ganjhu had gunned down three homeguard jawans and an ASI rank official of Latehar police at Lukuiya More on NH 39 under Chandwa police station of Latehar district on the night of November 22, last year.
The incident took place a few hours after BJP national president JP Nadda addressed an election rally at Chandwa ground during the first phase of assembly election.
In the incident ASI Sukra Oraon besides homeguard jawans Sambhu Prasad Sahu, Yamuna Prasad and Sikandar Singh lost their life when they were patrolling the area. Rebels also looted weapons of deceased cops.
During the course of investigation it was found that Ganjhu carrying Rs 15 lakh as cash reward on his head, carried out an attack to disrupt the election process besides to take revenge from police for arresting his wife Lalita Devi.
During the first week of January this year; Latehar police arrested as many as seven rebels. Said to be associated with Ganjhu; police claimed that these arrested rebels named as Baijnath Ganjhu, Kunwar Ganjhu, Rajesh Ganjhu, Sunil Ganjhu, Faguna Ganjhu, Sanjay Ganjhu and Naresh Ganjhu were involved in the attack.
Their disclosure corroborated finding of the police that other dreaded rebels who are the part of armed squad of Ganjhu namely Chhotu Kherwar, Manish, Balram, Vimal, Mrityunjay, Naveen, Aman, Chandan, Niraj, Pradeep, Budheshwar, Muneshwar, Sudarshan, Nandkishore, Manohar, Sandeep, Raju, Vishesh Korba, Nagendra, Nationalji, Karu, Sonu Korba, Sukhdeo Brijiya, Saurabh, Chandrabhan, Dinesh Nagesia, Kamaol and others executed this assassination.
Right after the incident; assessing enormity of the crime; state government recommended for NIA probe.
“Now NIA has taken-up the probe and all necessary documents and collected evidence will be handed over to NIA,” said a senior official of Jharkhand Police.
NIA’s Delhi unit will investigate the case where a fresh FIR has been lodged under section of Under sections 147(punishment for rioting), 148 ( rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149(joining unlawful assembly), 452 (preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 302 (murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 379 (theft) of IPC and sections 10(being member of an unlawful association), 13 (advocates, abets, advises or incites the commission of, any unlawful activity), 17 (Punishment for raising funds for terrorist act) and 18 (punishment for raising funds for terrorist act) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, section 27 Arms Act besides section 17 of Criminal amendment act.