State Bharatiya Janata Party president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi has accused the Jharkhand government of compromising public security and alleged gross negligence on the part of the state’s intelligence agencies. He demanded a high-level investigation into reports of arms being smuggled from Pakistan for criminal activities in Ranchi and other parts of the country.
Marandi claimed that firearms and ammunition are being brought into India from Pakistan via drones and routed through Moga in Punjab. These weapons, he said, are being used to threaten businessmen and extort money from industrialists and traders in Ranchi as well as other states.
He alleged that this reflects the complete failure of the police intelligence network in the state.
"The business community across Jharkhand is living under fear. From small vendors in Dhanbad to major establishments, extortion is being carried out openly. The situation has worsened to the point where traders in cities like Dhanbad, Bokaro, Jamshedpur, and Ranchi are forced to remove their contact numbers from shop boards or even shut down their businesses and leave the state,” Marandi said.
He further questioned how the police remained unaware of such a large-scale operation. “Was the police unaware of the gang’s activities, or is it protecting them in exchange for a share in the extortion racket? When the DGP himself is focused on collection rather than policing, his involvement cannot be ruled out,” he alleged.
Marandi urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren to take the matter seriously, order a high-level inquiry, and ensure stringent action against those involved in the arms smuggling network and the alleged security lapses.
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