In connection with the killing of Superintendent of Police, Pakur district, Amarjeet Balihar, and five other policemen in the district five years ago, two Maoists, Sanatan Baski and Pravir Da, were convicted on Thursday by a local court in Dumka, Jharkhand. Altogether 31 eye-witnesses had turned up in course of the trial of the case in the killing of Balihar and the five policemen.
While returning to Pakur after attending a meeting, well known Balihar, who firmly stood against left-wing extremism, and five other policemen had been killed and three others injured in an ambush by Maoists in Jharkhand’s Dumka district. The ultras, who were hiding and waiting, started firing and hurled bombs at the convoy of Balihar near Kathikund of Dumka district. The court of District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Taufique-ul Hasan convicted the two Maoists, who were members of the Special Area Committee (Bihar and Jharkhand) of a Maoist outfit in the 2013 killings. Five others, were absolved by the court on the ground of lack of evidence against them who were identified as Vakil Hembram, Manvel Murmu 1, Manvel Murmu 2, Satan Besra and Lovin Murmu. The court has fixed September 26 for pronouncing the quantum of punishment against the two convicts. Additional Public Prosecutor, Surendra Prasad Sinha said that Pravir Da is already serving life term since August 9, 2016 in connection with the murder case that had been committed in a village under Masalia police station of Dumka district.]]>
