THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Godda, August 11: Former BJP candidate local leader and criminal Surya Hansda was shot dead in a police encounter in Godda on Sunday. Hansda, who was wanted in several criminal cases, was arrested earlier in the day. Acting on his information, police took him to the Lalmatiya forest to recover weapons he had allegedly hidden.
According to officials, during the operation Hansda snatched a firearm from a policeman and tried to escape. Police opened fire, killing him on the spot. His body has been sent for post-mortem, and further investigation is underway.
The news of the encounter drew a large crowd of villagers to the scene. Police have been camping in the area to maintain order.
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Former Assembly Election Candidate
Hansda had contested the 2019 assembly elections from the Borio constituency on a BJP ticket, finishing second. The party had fielded him in place of former state BJP president Tala Marandi.
Known as a young leader, he had previously contested and lost two elections on a JVM ticket before joining the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Criminal Record
Hansda had a long criminal history with multiple cases registered against him across the district. His name had also surfaced in the arson attack on vehicles used in the Adani Group’s water pipeline project in Thakurgangti in January 2020.
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Police investigations revealed that Hansda had allegedly conspired in the incident, holding a meeting at his residence on the night of the attack and supplying petrol and diesel to set the vehicles ablaze.
Three suspects were arrested in the case, who reportedly named Hansda as the mastermind. He had been on the run since the case came to light.
