Jharkhand police have arrested Anand Munda and Harsingh Munda in connection with the gruesome murder of Pukhraj, a Jodhpur-based trader, who was killed and beheaded in Maranghada, Khunti district, on February 28. The motive, police confirmed, was a dispute over illegal opium trade.
Khunti SP Aman Kumar revealed on Friday that the suspects were arrested from the Namkum area in Ranchi. A third accused remains at large. During the operation, police recovered:
A car and four bikes
An axe and hammer
Rs8.5 lakh in cash
The victim’s severed head, recovered from a forest in Namkum
A headless body had earlier been found on Kujram-Chukru Road, prompting a special investigation team (SIT) led by DSP Varun Rajak. The victim was identified after images were shared on social media, and his brother confirmed the identity.
“Pukhraj had come to Khunti to purchase poppy bulbs, used in opium production. A dispute over a previous payment led to his murder while he was asleep,” SP Aman Kumar stated.
The accused later beheaded the victim and disposed of the head separately to delay identification. Police say more arrests may follow as the investigation continues.
This disturbing case has shed light on the ongoing illegal opium trade in the region and its deadly consequences.
