Opposition raises law-and-order concerns, seeks NIA probe in Dhanbad case

The BJP alleged a deterioration in Jharkhand’s law-and-order situation, citing NCRB crime data, questioning delays in posting trained DSP officers, and seeking an NIA probe into alleged police-criminal links in Dhanbad.

Addressing a press conference, BJP state spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo claimed that Jharkhand saw a rise in serious crimes during the Hemant Soren government’s tenure. Referring to 2024 NCRB figures, he said the state recorded 1,472 murder cases, with a murder rate of 3.7 per lakh population against the national average of 1.9.

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He also alleged that despite law and order concerns, 39 DSP officers who completed training in October 2023 had yet to receive postings. According to the BJP leader, the officers were appointed in July 2022 and the state government had already incurred substantial expenditure on their salaries and allowances.

Shah Deo further alleged that appointment delays reflected administrative inefficiency and raised questions over the government’s intent to strengthen policing in the state.

The issue gained sharper political dimension after Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi wrote to Chief Minister Hemant Soren demanding a National Investigation Agency probe into alleged organised extortion networks and purported police-criminal links in Dhanbad.

In his letter, Marandi referred to videos allegedly released on social media by gangster Prince Khan from abroad, claiming they raised serious questions regarding police functioning, coal-related networks and alleged extortion activities in Dhanbad. He also sought the removal of Dhanbad SSP Prabhat Kumar and demanded an independent investigation into the allegations.

Marandi further claimed that allegations regarding organised crime, coal theft, land-related disputes and possible interstate or international criminal links warranted a probe by a central agency to ensure an impartial investigation.