Jharkhand BJP leader Anil Mahto murdered; party protests in assembly

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Assembly on Thursday witnessed a ruckus on Thursday over the murder of a BJP leader.

BJP's Ranchi Rural district general secretary Anil Mahto 'Tiger', a former Zilla Parishad member, was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants near Kanke Chowk in the state capital on Wednesday.

Within two minutes of the start of the proceedings, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato adjourned the House till 12.55 pm as legislators of both the opposition and the treasury bench trooped into the Well.

As the House assembled for the day's business, BJP legislators raised the issue of the murder of the party leader and alleged that the law and order in the state was deteriorating.

BJP's Ranchi MLA C P Singh urged the Speaker to "stop patronising murderous government".

Reacting to this allegation, state Tourism Minister Sudivya Kumar accused the BJP of subverting the law and order in the state.

"Criminal incidents are unfortunate... but why has Hazaribag become the epicenter today for such activities... provocation is being made to disturb the law and order.

"The BJP is engaged in subverting the law and order in Jharkhand. An attempt is being made to pit residents against one another and put the state government in the dock," he alleged.

An FIR has been lodged against 10 named and 200 unidentified individuals in connection with a recent clash and stone-pelting incident between two communities in Hazaribag over the playing of an objectionable song during a procession.

The Speaker repeatedly urged members to let the House function but legislators from both benches trooped into Well and raised slogans against one another, prompting Mahato to adjourn the House till 12.55 pm.

Earlier, BJP legislators staged protests outside the assembly, demanding that the killers of Anil Mahto 'Tiger' be hanged.

Supporters of the BJP, AJSU Party and other organisations took to the streets in Ranchi on Thursday morning, calling for a nine-hour bandh in the state capital from 8 am to 5 pm over the killing.