Panic gripped the Nayamod area of Kuju on Monday evening when the residence of prominent coal businessman Dabbu Singh was targeted by gunfire. Dabbu Singh had recently come into the spotlight after securing the sand tender for the Ramgarh district. Following the attack, an eerie silence has descended over the locality.
Details Of The Incident
According to reports, the incident occurred around 6:15 pm on Monday. Two motorcycle-borne criminals arrived at the scene and opened fire on the property. A total of seven shots were fired:
- Four shots were directed at the main gate.
- Two shots hit Dabbu Singh’s Thar vehicle (registration number JH24N-0011) parked on the premises.
- One shot was fired at a window of the house.
In a fortunate turn of events, Dabbu Singh’s sister, who was near the window at the time, narrowly escaped the gunfire.
Motive And Threats
The Rahul Dubey gang has claimed responsibility for the attack by leaving a pamphlet at the scene. The gang had reportedly been exerting constant pressure on the businessman to communicate with them regarding a levy (extortion) ever since he secured the sand tender.
The pamphlet stated that the attack was carried out "to open his ears" after their previous attempts to make contact over the phone failed. It further issued a severe warning, stating, "Next time, your skull will be split open."
Police Investigation And Evidence
Upon receiving information about the incident, a high-level police team arrived at the scene. The team included Ramgarh DSP Parameshwar Prasad, Kuju Outpost In-charge Ashutosh Kumar Singh, and Mandu Police Station In-charge Sadanand Prasad, along with Sub-Inspectors Ashish Gautam, Ravi Sharma, and Sunny Kumar from the Kuju Outpost.
The police have questioned Dabbu Singh and recovered seven spent casings and two live rounds from the spot.
On Tuesday, the police intensified their investigation. A district-wide search operation is currently underway to apprehend the criminals responsible for the attack.