Jharkhand: Gangster Wanted In 30 Cases Shot Dead By Assailants Dressed As 'Kanwariyas'

The police said that the gunmen took advantage of the ongoing ‘Shravan Mela’ and executed their plan by dressing up like 'kanwariyas'.

A dreaded gangster was shot dead on Friday by a group of assailants who were dressed as ‘kanwariyas’ in Jharkhand's Dumka district, police said. According to a report by PTI, Amarnath Singh, who was wanted in over 30 criminal cases, was shot dead near Basukinath temple in Dumka.

The incident took place when Singh, a resident of Jamshedpur, visited the Basukinath temple along with his family to offer obeisance in the holy month of 'Shravan'. When he came out of the temple, gunmen shot him from point blank range, the police told PTI. The incident happened near Nandi Chowk, said Dumka's Superintendent of Police (SP) Amber Lakra.

Six empty cartridges were found at the spot, police said. The SP said the post-mortem would reveal the exact number of bullets he received.

Singh had around 30-40 criminal cases pending against him. Most of these cases were registered in Jamshedpur. Lakra said that the gunmen were yet to be identified.

He said that the shooters took advantage of the ongoing ‘Shravan Mela’ and executed their plan by dressing up like 'kanwariyas'.

The SP said that the incident “seems like an outcome of gang rivalry" and an investigation was underway.

Simultaneously, six members of Singh's gang were arrested from East Singhbhum district following an encounter with police on National Highway 33 in Ghatsila police station area.

In the gunfight, one of the arrested suffered an injury in the leg. Some police personnel also sustained minor injuries. 

East Singhbhum's SSP Prabhat Kumar said "criminals" should mend their ways or face stringent action.

Lakhs of ‘kanwariyas’ undertake the ‘Kanwar Yatra’ every year during the month  of ‘Sharvan’. They fetch holy water from the Ganga river and carry it back on their shoulders.