Tribal village head shot dead in Jharkhand's Khunti

Khunti, Jan 8 (PTI) A tribal village head was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jharkhand's Khunti district, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place on the Namkum-Jamuadag Road under Khunti police station limits on Wednesday evening, when he was returning home on a motorcycle with his wife.

The deceased was identified Soma Munda, who had also contested the assembly polls from the Khunti assembly seat in 2024. He was the ‘Adel Sanga Padha Raja’ (traditional head of 22 villages).

Khunti SDPO Varun Rajak said two unidentified bike-borne miscreants shot at Munda when he was returning home around 7 pm.

"He was taken to a hospital by locals, where doctors declared him brought-dead," Rajak said.

The SDPO said police has started an investigation, and all angles related to the incident will be explored.

Meanwhile, several tribal organisations have called for a Khunti bandh on Thursday in protest against the murder. PTI CORR SAN RBT