What started as a standard operation against illegal distillation in Jharkhand’s Argundi village exploded into violence, with a mob savagely assaulting an Excise Department team. Assistant Sub-Inspector Mantu Agarwal bore the brunt, suffering deep slashes on March 3 near Chaibasa.
tipped-off officials zeroed in on a suspicious house beside the Chaibasa-Chakradharpur highway. Their search was cut short when an insider wielded a razor-sharp tool, zeroing in on Agarwal’s vital areas—neck and spine.
In the ensuing frenzy, colleagues shielded themselves and fled. The village buzzed with activity as locals assembled, bows and ancestral weapons at hand, driving off the squad.
Agarwal received prompt treatment at Sadar Hospital, his status steady per medics. Commissioner Niranjan Tiwari offered solace at bedside. Local cops from Muffasil, under Vinod Kumar, launched a manhunt, nabbing a key figure involved.
This flare-up reveals the raw nerve of anti-liquor campaigns in tribal belts, where economic stakes run high. Officials decry the lawlessness, vowing intelligence-led, fortified raids ahead. The community watches warily as probes deepen.