Hazaribag: Family members of slain Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) chief Brajesh Ganjhu alleged his death was a planned killing and sought an independent probe into the incident.The body of Ganjhu, who was killed in a firefight with a team of Anti-Terrorism Squad of Uttar Pradesh police in Varanasi a day earlier, was brought to his native Kutu Sohawan village in Lawalong block of Chatra district on Monday for last rites. He carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh announced by Jharkhand govt and Rs 5 lakh by NIA.Former Simaria MLA Ganesh Ganjhu, brother of Brajesh, his wife Usha Devi and son Rishikesh questioned the circumstances leading to the encounter and sought probes by agencies such as CBI and National Human Rights Commission. Ganesh alleged that Brajesh was picked up from Jharkhand, taken to Varanasi and subsequently killed. “This was not an encounter but a planned killing,” he said, urging chief minister Hemant Soren to order an impartial investigation.Usha said her husband had been living away from home for nearly a decade and was not involved in Naxal activities. “We would pursue legal remedies, including approaching higher courts, if justice is not ensured,” she said.ATS of UP police, however, claimed Brajesh sustained gunshot wounds in an exchange of fire in Ramnagar area and succumbed at a hospital. The agency also claimed the recovery of weapons, ammunition and cash from the spot.“Govt should examine the factors that drive people towards extremism rather than merely announcing rewards on insurgents. Brajesh had served as a mukhiya in 2010 and later as a panchayat samiti member,” Ganesh said.
