Jharkhand BJP workers stage dharna protest in Ranchi against Chaibasa killings

The Jharkhand BJP unit on Saturday staged a day-long silent protest outside Raj Bhawan here against the killing of seven villagers, allegedly by the supporters of the Pathalgarhi movement, in the Chaibasa region of the state.

BJP workers sat outside the Raj Bhawan holding placards asking as to why Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been silent on the death of seven people.

Speaking on the incident that happened in Chaibasa earlier this week, BJP leader CP Singh said, "The decision taken by Hemant Soren cabinet to withdraw all the cases against the organisers of Pathalgarhi is not in the interest of Jharkhand."

"I want to say that the law and order situation has finished in the state. We have organised a day-long silent protest and we will also give a memorandum to the state Governor," he added.

Seven villagers were abducted and killed earlier this week in Chaibasa in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, allegedly by the supporters of the Pathalgadi movement.

The mutilated bodies of the victims were recovered from a forest about seven kilometre from Burugulikera village.

According to reports, Pathalgadi supporters had organised a meeting in the Burugulikera village on Sunday. A few villagers in the meeting objected to the way the movement was being carried out in the region and had a heated argument with the supporters. They were later abducted and their decapitated bodies were found in the forest.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has ordered an SIT probe into the incident, which is supposed to submit its report by next Wednesday.

Speaking to ANI a BJP worker said, "The people behind the massacre in Singhbhum have not been arrested yet. We are protesting against the government's inaction."

"This situation occurred after this government came to power in the state. The government has failed to control the rising criminal activities in Jharkhand. We demand that people behind this incident be punished," he added.

State Director General of Police (DGP) Kamal Nayan Choubey has desisted from linking the killings to Pathalgarhi movement, saying it is too early to pinpoint the culprits as the region is also infested with Left Wing Extremism (LWE).

Pathalgadi refers to a practice of placing stone plaques with declarations and warning inscribed on them at the entry point of villages.

The plaques, proclaiming allegiance to the Constitution, carry inscriptions dismissing the authority of the central and state governments over their villages, rivers and forests.