Normal life in Jharkhand's Khunti district was completely paralyzed on Thursday as hundreds of tribal men and women took to the streets in a powerful display of grief and anger. The spontaneous shutdown was a protest against the brutal killing of their revered traditional leader, Soma Munda, a day earlier.
Roads Blocked, Shops Shut in Day-Long Agitation
The protestors, demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits, staged a day-long dharna with Soma Munda's body at the core of their demonstration. They brought normal traffic to a standstill on key roads by erecting barricades made of bamboo poles, excavators, and vehicles. The air filled with smoke from burning tyres placed across the roads as a mark of protest.
In the afternoon, Soma's family members brought his body to the Saheed Bhagat Singh Chowk in Khunti town, where they sat on a dharna. The site quickly became a focal point for the community, with hundreds gathering and raising slogans to press for their demands. The anger spilled into the Murhu area, where youths organized a bike rally to express their fury and demand swift police action.
Who Was Soma Munda and Why Was He Killed?
Soma Munda was not just any community member. He held the respected traditional position of Sanga Padha Raja, the head of tribal villages. Demonstrating his leadership beyond tradition, he had also contested the 2024 state assembly elections from the Khunti seat. According to leaders present at the protest, Munda was a vocal opponent of policies he deemed unjust and was actively campaigning for the protection of jal, jungle, zameen (water, forest, land).
The murder occurred on Wednesday evening. Unidentified criminals shot dead Soma Munda while he was returning from Khunti town to his village, Chalagi, on a motorcycle with his wife, Amrita Tirkey. The assailants fired twice at him on the Namkum-Jamuadaag road. One bullet struck his chest. Although Munda attempted to turn his bike back towards Khunti, he fell to the ground. He was rushed to the sadar hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Political Reaction and Administrative Assurance
Former minister and Congress leader Geetashree Oroan, who joined the protest, voiced the community's sentiment. "There is anger against the murder of a traditional head who opposed wrong policies," she stated, appealing to Chief Minister Hemant Soren to ensure quick action.
The protest had a severe economic impact, forcing commercial establishments to close. Jyoti Singh, an office bearer of the Khunti Chambers of Commerce and Industries, confirmed, "Shops and commercial establishments in Khunti town and its surrounding areas remained closed due to the protest."
The district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner R Ronita and SP Manish Toppo, intervened. They assured the protestors that the administration would provide all due benefits to Munda's family according to the provisions. SP Toppo announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been formed to crack the case. Following these assurances, the protest was withdrawn after about eight hours, at around 5 PM.
