Man pays with life for poll work

Giridih: Activists of the CPI (Maoist) killed one Jivlal Mahto (35) at Tengra More in Pordang village on Tuesday for ?going against the organisation?s poll boycott call? in the district. The incident has triggered panic among the people and other political parties.

The Maoists have not left behind any leaflet, something they usually do after performing such crimes. Mahto was a resident of Tengrakalo in Nimighat.

Subdivisional police officer Jitendra Singh confirmed that the rebels were behind the act. Eyewitnesses said the extremists, armed with traditional weapons, stormed the weekly haat at Tengra and hurled a bomb to disperse the crowd. They then caught hold of Mahto and took him to Tengra More. The villagers later found Jivlal?s beheaded body there. Sources said that Jivlal was actively working for a political party.

Elephant on rampage

Chaibasa: The wild elephant that caused destruction in the region recently, killed two more villagers ? Jonu Bodra (28) and Birang Bodra (65) ? at Thakuragutu village in Muffassil on Monday.

The elephant also injured a youth, Routu Bodra. Eyewitness and the injured villager said the elephant attacked villagers without any provocation. ?It was late in the evening and Jonu was returning home when the elephant picked her up with its trunk and killed her. It also destroyed another house and killed Birang as well,? said Routu Bodra.

The elephant then proceeded to damage a few more houses before disappearing in the thick forest cover in Chaibasa. In the past two days, the elephant has killed two persons in Khuntpani block of West Singhbhum. The bodies have been sent to the subdivisional hospital for post-mortem.

Body found

Chaibasa: An FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons at Manjhari police station after the recovery of the body of a 30-year-old man, identified as Ghasiram Gope.

The body was found in a classroom at Manjhari High School on February 19. Police said Gope?s head was banged against the window pane until he bled to death. Police are conducting an enquiry.

Tribute

Jadugara: Members of the Indian Red Cross Society at Jadugora paid tribute to Chimanlal Bhalotia, who passed away on February 17 after prolonged illness. A condolence meeting was held at the residence of a representative of the society, Ashok Agarwal. Reflecting upon the work done by Bhalotia, Agarwal said a true homage to a visionary like Bhalotia could only be possible if the members of the society follow his footsteps and contribute to social welfare.

Arrest

Giridih: Chetlal Verma, who had escaped from the jail ward of the subdivisional hospital in May 2004, was arrested from Mohandih village in Ahliapur on Tuesday. Verma has a dowry-related case, filed at the same police station by his wife, against him.

Woman missing

Chakradharpur: Khuntpani police have been unable to trace Budhni Bodhra (40), who has been missing from Bacchomahatu village in Khuntpani since January 20. According to Budhni?s husband S.S. Bodhra, a railway employee at Bandamunda, his wife had left for her parents? home with a relative Sharifa Bodhra.

Cricket

Hazaribagh: Vikas Kumar will captain the 15-member Koderma district team at the CAG cup in Bokaro from February 26. According to Arun, a member of the district cricket association. Arun added that the 15 players have been chosen keeping in mind their performance over the last year.

Demonstration

Jamshedpur: Hundreds of members of the India Confederation of Labour (ICL), Jharkhand, will leave for New Delhi to take part in a demonstration in front of Parliament on February 25. They will protest against the problems faced by workers and unemployed youths. The demonstration will be led by ICL national president Ashok Bhattacharya.

An eye camp for cataract patients will be organised on the premises of the subdivisional hospital in Hazaribagh from February 28. Hospital sources said the needy will also be provided with visioncorrection lens at the camp.