J'khand BJP delegation meets Guv, demands CBI probe into death of Surya Hansda in 'encounter'

Ranchi, Aug 29 (PTI) A delegation of Jharkhand BJP on Friday met Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar at Raj Bhavan, seeking a CBI inquiry into tribal leader Surya Hansda's police encounter death and an immediate ban on the construction of the proposed government hospital at Nagdi.

The delegation led by BJP state president Babulal Marnadi accused the JMM-led coalition of hatching a conspiracy to kill Hansda.

The "encounter death" earlier saw protests by opposition BJP in the state assembly, resulting in disruption of proceedings, while the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has sought a report from the Jharkhand Police over the death.

The BJP delegation, in a memorandum to the Governor, sought his direction to the state for conducting a CBI inquiry into the "police encounter" which they termed a "planned murder" and alleged the hand of the CM's aide in it.

"You must be well aware of the alleged police encounter (planned murder) of Surya Hansda in Godda district of Jharkhand on 11 August 2025, from newspapers and other sources of information. This case is a burning example of the height of injustice meted out to a socially, politically and regionally popular tribal person under the rule of the Hemant Soren government of Jharkhand..

“Our party wants to draw your attention to this burning issue to expose the planned murder which has been portrayed as a police encounter and provide justice to the victim's family," the memorandum to the Governor read.

It also alleged that the encounter was part of an unethical nexus of police and politics.

Surya Hansda was picked up by the police on 10 August from his relative's house in village Navadih, block Mohanpur, district Deoghar, and on August 11 he was killed in a police encounter in Lalmatia, Mahagama, the BJP said in the memorandum.

“Hansda's mother and wife have raised many serious questions about the case. After Hansda's arrest, neither his medical test was done nor was he produced before any competent court. He was suffering from typhoid. He had returned after treatment from Vellore," the memorandum said.

Though the police are presenting Hansda as a dreaded criminal, he was not so; he was but a sensitive, social and political worker, the party claimed.

He had contested elections four times from Borio assembly constituency, believing in democratic values, the memorandum said adding, he used to take responsibility for the education and upbringing of hundreds of poor tribal children by running a school in Lalmatia of Godda district.

Courts acquitted him in 14 of the 24 cases mentioned by the police, the opposition party said adding that it is a direct question on the justice system. “Just having a case or going to jail does not prove someone to be a criminal," the BJP said.

Demanding a CBI investigation, the party said the culprits in the case deserve stringent punishment.

"There is every possibility that Godda police killed Hansda under political pressure. The role of the chief minister's representative in his Barhet constituency is also suspicious in the fake encounter of Surya Hansda. The family and many people suspect that he was involved in this case,” the memorandum read.

“He was fighting the state government on many fronts, including illegal mining and illegal occupation of tribal land, exploitation of tribal and Paharia girls by people of other religions and Bangladeshi infiltration," the party said.

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) sought a report from the Jharkhand Police on the death of Surya Hansda, who was "wanted" in several criminal cases, in an alleged encounter with security personnel, officials said.

BJP MP Deepak Prakash had lodged a complaint with the NCST, alleging that Hansda was killed in a "fake encounter".

The state government has handed over the investigation into the death of Hansda to the CID.

Hansda had contested the 2019 assembly elections from Borio on a BJP ticket, but after being denied a ticket in 2024, he joined the JKLM and contested again.

On the construction of RIMS Phase -2 at Nagdi, the delegation claimed it is intended to come up on 100 per cent fertile land and will render hundreds of tribals without any source of livelihood. PTI NAM NN