Daijiworld Media Network - Godda
Godda (Jharkhand), Aug 11: Surya Hansda, a former BJP leader and history-sheeter with a long criminal record, was shot dead in a police encounter early Monday near Jirli Samari Pahari in Jharkhand’s Godda district, police officials confirmed.
The operation took place in a dense, hilly area under the Boarijor police station limits, where Hansda had reportedly been hiding for weeks. Following the encounter, a large police presence sealed off the area, restricting entry. However, crowds gathered nearby as news of the incident spread.
Godda SP Mukesh Kumar confirmed Hansda’s death and said full details would be disclosed during a scheduled press briefing at 4 p.m.
Once a prominent political figure in the region, Hansda contested the 2019 Assembly elections from Borio on a BJP ticket. After being denied a ticket in 2024, he joined the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) but failed to win.
Hansda was wanted in several serious criminal cases, including a May 2025 firing at the Eastern Coalfields Ltd's Rajmahal project, in which a machine operator was injured. He was also linked to earlier incidents of arson and violence, including the torching of trucks at a crusher mill in Sahibganj.
Police said he had been on the run for months, frequently changing locations to avoid arrest.