Karni Sena president Vinay Singh found dead in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, bullet injury, gun in left hand: What we know so far
On 20th April, Jharkhand’s Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena president, Vinay Kumar Singh, was found dead in the Baliguma locality near the Mini Punjab Hotel in Jamshedpur. The 46-year-old Singh had a bullet wound to his head and a country-made pistol in his left hand when the body was discovered. Notably, he was reported missing by his family on 19th April. Police recovered the body using mobile location tracking.
According to the police, Singh left his home on 19th April and was untraceable throughout the day. The distress led to a missing person complaint, eventually leading the police to the crime scene. His motorcycle was also recovered from the scene. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Bachan Deo Kujur, said that the matter is under investigation.
Murder on highway while returning home
Media reports suggest that Singh was returning home with a few associates when unidentified gunmen opened fire near a hotel along National Highway-33. The attack resulted in his immediate death. A manhunt has been launched by the police to apprehend the culprits. The police are examining CCTV footage and call records.
Apart from the gunshot wound, there were several injury marks on his hands and legs. Eyewitnesses stated that after police reached the spot, the body was kept on the road for around two hours as no ambulance was available.
The news of Singh’s death quickly spread across Jamshedpur and neighbouring areas. Karni Sena supporters rushed to the crime scene. The delay in ambulance arrival fuelled anger among his supporters present at the scene, who protested against the police. They also prevented the body from being moved without proper arrangements.
The protests continued till late into the night. The supporters demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. Eventually, at around midnight, an ambulance arrived and the body was shifted to MGM Hospital. During that time, traffic came to a complete standstill on NH-33 due to the massive congestion caused by the protesters. At around 1 am, the Rural Superintendent of Police arrived at the site and assured the supporters that there would be swift action in the matter, after which the blockade was lifted.
Billa Pathak connection under scanner
Media reports have indicated that Singh had recently got close to Govindpur-based gangster Billa Pathak, which might have possibly triggered the attack. It is being suspected that the rivals of the Mashooq Manish group might be behind the murder. Notably, Singh had been under surveillance for over a month, and he was reportedly aware of it. However, whether the rival gang is involved remains under investigation.
SIT formed, Karni Sena threatens shutdown
Police have classified the incident as a planned assassination and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate all possible angles. Leaders from Karni Sena have issued a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits. They said that if police failed to apprehend the culprits within 48 hours, it would result in a state-wide Jharkhand bandh and intensified protests.
Police have not issued any statement confirming the motive behind the murder. Several angles, including political enmity and personal rivalries, are being probed.
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