JMM Hazaribagh chief’s bodyguard dies of gunshot wound at leader’s residence, probe on

Hazaribagh, Oct 22 (IANS) A Jharkhand Police personnel deployed as the bodyguard of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Hazaribagh district president Sanjeev Bediya died after sustaining a gunshot wound under suspicious circumstances at the leader’s residence in Urimari on Thursday, police said.

The deceased, identified as Niranjan Mahto, was posted at Bediya’s residence in Urimari, under the Barkagaon police station area of Hazaribagh district. The incident occurred at around 10 a.m. The circumstances in which the firearm was discharged and the reason behind the shooting have not yet been officially established.

According to preliminary information, people rushed to the spot after hearing a gunshot and found Mahto lying on the floor. He died before he could be taken to a hospital, reports said.

Following information about the incident, police personnel from the Urimari outpost reached the residence and initiated an investigation. The body is being prepared for postmortem examination at Hazaribagh Sadar Hospital after the completion of inquest proceedings.

Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting to determine how the firearm was discharged and who was present at the residence when the incident occurred. Investigators are exploring whether the shooting resulted from an accidental discharge, a lapse while handling the weapon, or another cause. However, no official conclusion has been announced so far.

The probe is also focused on identifying the firearm involved and establishing who had possession of it at the time of the incident. Investigators are questioning people connected with the case to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish the circumstances leading to Mahto’s death.

Mahto was a serving member of the Jharkhand Police and had been assigned to the security detail of the JMM district president. His death has drawn attention to the incident in the Urimari area, where police are continuing their investigation.

Officials have not yet released a detailed account of the incident or confirmed whether anyone else was present when the shot was fired. The postmortem examination is expected to provide further information relevant to the investigation.

Police said the exact cause of death and the circumstances in which the firearm was discharged would become clear only after the investigation progresses. Further details are awaited.

–IANS

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