Police and Maoist rebels were locked in a gun battle in the forest on the border of Keredari (Hazaribagh) and Simaria (Chatra) on Saturday.

The rebels, including zonal commander Mithilesh and area commander Anil Bhuiyan, were in the forest when a combined force of the police and CRPF reached the area. The Maoists opened fire and a gun battle ensued.

The Maoists soon fled.

Police officers claimed that two-three women Maoists had suffered bullet injuries.

A pair of shoes and other items found where the gun battle took place in Keredari forests in Hazaribagh on Saturday. Vishvendu Jaipuriar

Protest against mining rule ‘flout’

Members of the district unit of the Congress, led by All India Congress Committee member Santosh Singh, on Saturday staged a demonstration at BCCL’s Rajapur Colliery in Jharia.

The agitators protested mining by Dhansar Engineering Company Limited, a private contractor working on behalf of BCCL, while allegedly disregarding environmental norms and other rules laid down by the Directorate General of Mines Safety.

Firing at Ena Colliery

Motorcycle-borne miscreants opened fire at BCCL’s Ena Colliey in Jharia on Saturday.

The incident took place around 1.15pm when unidentified persons on four-five motorcycles went to the colliery and fired shots in the air.

Jharia police said the incident could be the result of rivalry among various groups vying to establish their supremacy in the colliery.

The colliery is traditionally dominated by Janta Mazdoor Sangh, which is led by jailed former legislator Sanjeev Singh. A rival group is trying to gain a foothold at the colliery.

‘Affair’ behind murder

Nikki Pandey, a 21-year-old whose dead body was found at his village in Katkmasandi block of Hazaribagh, was murdered at the instance of the local mukhiya with whom he was allegedly having an affair, his father Banaras Pandey has claimed.

Nikki’s mother Sushma Devi said that he and the mukhiya, Sarita Devi, were in a relationship for the past year. There had been objections from family members.

On Saturday, members of the Antarashtriy Brahmin Samaj visited Nikki's village and met his family.

Residents of Hazaribagh, Chatra, Lohardagga, Dhanbad, Giridih, Koderma and Latehar visited the Katkamsandi police station and threatened an agitation if the killers were not arrested by September 2.

Members of the Brahmin Samaj meet in Hazaribagh on Saturday. Vishvendu Jaipuriar

Death by electrocution

Karma festival celebrations on Saturday gave way to grief after 22-year-old Shambhu Kumar who climbed a tree to cut a karam tree branch for worship came in contact with a high-voltage electric wire and died on the spot.

The incident took place at Purnadih village in Bahera panchayat in Chouparan block of Hazaribagh district.

Villagers took him to a local health centre but he was declared dead on arrival.

Shambhu Kumar. Vishvendu Jaipuriar