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Red Card Offence

Who killed Mahto? Enraged Naxalites or envious men within his party?

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Red Card Offence
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The Maoists had, at their 10th congress held recently in the forests along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border, resolved to vigorously pursue their "armed struggle". Reports had it that Mahto had been identified as one of the main targets. The JMM MP was put on the hit list for his campaign against the Naxals through his Nagrik Suraksha Sangharsh Samiti. Contractors, backed by Mahto, were refusing to give in to Naxalite demands for money. This apparently was seen as reason enough for the JMM leader to be taught a lesson. Mahto is the second high-profile politician to be killed by the extremists in Jharkhand. In 2005,CPI(ML) MLA from Bagodar Mahendra Singh too was shot dead by suspected ultras.

Though the Naxals have owned responsibility, a "political conspiracy" behind the murder cannot be ruled out, say police officials. Union minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal also pointed to the possibility of Mahto being a victim of intra-JMM rivalry. With JMM's Shibu Soren in jail, convicted in the Shashinath Jha murder, it was widely recognised that Mahto would find a berth in the Union cabinet. An anti-Mahto lobby, unhappy with the MP's sudden rise, may have masterminded the killing, according to one theory.

Mahto was very much part of the agitation that eventually led to the creation of Jharkhand. As a student leader, he remained in the forefront of the All Jharkhand Students Union politics. A potential leader of the JMM, Mahto was known for his oratory and ability to connect with people. Being a man of the masses, his instruction to his guards was simple on March 4: let the people come in freely and have his darshan. It's now evident that this openness proved too costly for him.

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