Jharkhand Court Seeks State’s Reply on Surya Hansda Encounter Probe

The Jharkhand High Court has demanded a response from the state government regarding a petition requesting a CBI investigation into the alleged fake encounter of Surya Hansda. Hansda, who had contested assembly elections with tickets from various political parties, was reportedly killed in a police encounter. The court, during its hearing on Tuesday, issued a notice to Pankaj Mishra, a leader associated with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and set a six-week deadline for the state government to file its reply. The bench, under Justice Ambuj Nath, is examining the criminal writ petition seeking a CBI inquiry into the encounter involving Surya Hansda. The court has scheduled the next hearing for six weeks later. Advocate Kumar Harsh argued the case on behalf of the petitioner. The petition was filed by Surya Hansda’s wife, Sushila Murmu, and his mother, Neelmani Murmu, who claim the encounter was fake and are seeking a thorough investigation. The lawsuit also names crucial state officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director-General of Police, and the Superintendents of Police for Godda and Deoghar districts. According to Neelmani Murmu’s petition, her son was arrested from Nawadih village in the Mohanpur police station area of Deoghar before the incident. Recent FIRs filed at the Lalmatia police station in Godda and Mirza Chowki police station in Sahibganj accuse Surya Hansda of serious criminal offenses. Surya Hansda was killed in an alleged encounter with police on August 11 in Godda, near the Lalmatia Dhamani hill in the Boarijore police station area. He had been taken into custody on the evening of August 10.