CHATRA: The deputy general manager of NTPC Keredari coal mines, Kumar Gaurav, was fatally shot by unidentified assailants near Phataha chowk on Hazaribag-Barkagaon road in Jharkhand’s Hazaribag district on Saturday morning.
The incident occurred around 9:30 am when Gaurav was traveling to his office from his Hazaribag residence. According to reports, motorcycle-borne attackers intercepted his SUV and opened fire. At the time of the attack, Gaurav was seated in the front of the vehicle with two other occupants in the rear.
The victim was rushed to Arogyam hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. His body was later transferred to Sadar hospital for post-mortem, where NTPC officials gathered in large numbers, visibly shaken by the incident.
Hazaribag SP Arvind Kumar Singh confirmed the attack and stated that police raids are underway to apprehend the perpetrators. This incident adds to a series of similar attacks on coal officials in the region, including the murder of a Ritwik company general manager at the same location two years ago.
Hazaribagh MP Manish Jaiswal expressed grave concern over the incident, highlighting its potential impact on industrial development in Jharkhand. “Criminal activities are increasing not only in Hazaribagh but across the state. Such incidents create an atmosphere of fear and directly affect industrial growth and employment opportunities,” he stated.
The MP emphasized that the murder of a senior NTPC official raises serious questions about the security of industrial operations in the region. “If criminals aren’t controlled, it will severely hamper the state’s industrial development and exacerbate unemployment issues,” Jaiswal added.
Police have launched an investigation, and security measures in the area have been intensified following the incident.
