A social worker championing the cause of tribals was shot dead while sipping tea at a roadside dhaba on Bariatu Road on Tuesday morning, the murder near Ranchi Nursing Home being seen as a fallout of the victim's strict opposition to land grab.
Vanshi Oraon (51), district president of Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, had walked to the dhaba from his house near Medica Superspeciality Hospital, hardly 100m away. Two criminals came on a motorcycle and fired one round at his chest around 7.30am.
"The attack lasted barely 10 seconds. The bike-borne men veered very close to Oraon. He was talking to someone when the pillion-rider fired a bullet at him. There was no argument before the killing. It was clear that they wanted to shoot him dead," an eyewitness said.
Regional chief of Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra Pranay Dutt, who rushed to the spot under Sadar police station immediately after coming to know about the incident, said: "People who heard the gunshot mistook it to be a firecracker as it was Chhath. By the time they realised that someone had opened fire and Oraon was lying in a pool of blood, the shooters had fled."
Oraon is survived by six daughters - two of them married - and two sons.
Sub-inspector Krishna Kumar, who is officiating as Sadar officer-in-charge, said: "An FIR has been registered on the basis of statements of the victim's wife Sushma Oraon."
Asked about the reason behind the killing, he remained tight-lipped, only saying: "Investigations are on. No arrest has been made so far."
State vice-president of Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra Rijhu Kachhap said: "Land brokers in the state attempt to grab tribal land. Vanshi Oraon was against it. Apparently, this was the reason behind his murder. A proper inquiry is required to identify the real culprits," he said.
This is the second shooting in the state capital in three days. On November 14, an unidentified man shot at land broker Balram Sahu (25) at Dhipa Toli under Pundag outpost of Jagannathpur police station. Sahu, who sustained three bullet injuries, was admitted at RIMS, where he is out of danger.
Five persons have been arrested so far in connection with the case. Of them, four are close relatives of Sahu.
SP (city) Jaya Roy said: "at his office on the premises of Kotwali police station "An FIR in this connection had been registered at Kotwali police station," he added.