Driver’s murder in Jawali sparks villagers’ protest

The Jawali police have registered a murder case following the death of Manoj Kumar (45), a resident of Takhniad village in Bhali gram panchayat, on Monday night. The case was filed on the statement of his father, Sahabo Ram. Manoj, a driver by profession, had reportedly clashed with workers of a four-lane construction company engaged on the Seuni–Rajol stretch.

According to police, Sahabo Ram said his son left home around 5 pm on Monday. At about 8 pm, Manoj called home saying that two company workers at the Bhali project camp were beating him and threatening to run him over with a company vehicle. On learning this, Sahabo Ram rushed to the camp, where he found that local social activist Aman Rana had already taken the injured Manoj to the Civil Hospital in Shahpur. He was later referred to Tanda Medical College (TMC), Kangra, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Nurpur SP Ashok Ratan said a murder case under sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered and two suspects are in custody for investigation. Postmortem was conducted at the TMC and the body handed over to the family for last rites. The police are reviewing CCTV footage to corroborate circumstantial evidence.

Meanwhile, angry villagers from Bhali gram panchayat staged a protest at the local Bhali camp office of the construction company. The Jawali police rushed to the spot to pacify the protestors.