One more held for Jharkhand massacre, 16 arrested so far

One more person has been arrested in connection with the killing of seven people allegedly by 'Pathalgarhi' movement supporters at Burugulikera village in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district last week, taking the total number of arrests to 16, police said on Tuesday.

Twenty seven-year-old Martin Logma was arrested on Monday and produced before a local court in Chakradharpur, which sent him to 14-days judicial custody, an official release said.

The other 15 accused, aged between 19 and 60 years, were arrested on Sunday and charged with murder and rioting, among others, it said.

They were produced before the court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate, Chakradharpur on Monday which sent them to 14-days judicial custody, the release said.

Supporters of 'Pathalgarhi' movement had allegedly kidnapped the seven villagers of Burugulikera in Guddi block on January 21 and killed them for allegedly opposing their stir. Their mutilated bodies were recovered from a forest, around 4 kilometres from the village the next day.

Proponents of 'Pathalgarhi', a tribal movement, want that no laws of the land should apply to the tribal people. They write tenets on large stones and erect them in their areas of influence.

The killings that took place days after the JMM- Congress-RJD coalition government assumed power in the state on December 29, triggered widespread outrage and Chief Minister Hemant Soren ordered an investigation by a special investigation team (SIT).