A manhunt has been launched to nab the killers of Jharkhand party leader Anil Mahato, who was murdered in the Joram forests on October 29 last. According to Superintendent of Police (SP) K C Meena, who was supervising the operation from Belpahari police station, a full company of paramilitary force was combing the entire stretch of the forest. Police were using 'fire bombs' to smoke out the culprits, he said.
Two persons had been taken into custody in this connection and were being interrogated by the police on a complaint lodged by the victim's wife, sources said. Meanwhile, agitated Jharkhand activists threatened ''direct action against the PWG-MCC combine'', suspected to be behind the murder, if the culprits were not immediately nabbed.
The movement of vehicular traffic towards Kankrajhor village had stopped after the murder. The village surrounded by hillocks, was used by the naxalites to cross over to the neighbouring bihar.
Though paramilitary forces had set up a camp in the village, a sense of insecurity had gripped the residents.
Bureau Report