Businessman, ex-Councillor shot in Hazaribagh; triggers public outrage

Hazaribagh (The Uttam Hindu): Manjeet Yadav, a businessman and former Councillor of Hazaribagh Municipal Corporation was shot dead by assailants in the Khirgaon area of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on Tuesday morning. Despite being swiftly rushed to a nearby hospital, Yadav succumbed to his injuries around noon. The killing has triggered widespread anger among local residents. Hundreds of people gathered at the Hazaribagh District Board Chowk and blocked the Ranchi-Patna Road. They voiced strong resentment against the police and the local administration for the poor law and order situation in the district.

The administration has deployed a heavy police force, along with Vajra vehicles, in the area to maintain law and order. According to reports, Yadav was standing near his residence in the Bara Bazar area of Hazaribagh when three assailants on a single motorcycle approached and shot him multiple times using a Mauser and a revolver at around 8.30 A.M. on Tuesday. He collapsed at his doorstep right then. Nearby residents, alarmed by the sound of the gunshots, rushed outside, only to find that the assailants had already escaped on their bike after committing the crime.

Following news of his death, tensions escalated across Hazaribagh, with crowds gathering at the hospital and later blocking the District Board Chowk, causing traffic delays on the Ranchi-Patna road. They started shouting slogans against the police administration after the news of the death of Manjeet Yadav spread. Yadav, who previously served as president of a committee that organises a massive Ram Navami festival in Hazaribagh, was also a former ward Councillor in the Hazaribagh Municipal Corporation. In recent years, he had ventured into the real estate sector. Police have launched raids to apprehend the suspects. Early investigations suggest that business rivalry could be a potential motive for the murder. However, authorities have yet to confirm any specific leads.