Sukhram Munda

Tribal Leader

Jharkhand

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on July 18, 2019 regarding the brutal murder of indigenous tribal leader Mr. Sukhram Munda in Kochan village at Khunti district in Jharkhand by unidentified gunmen.

Mr. Munda had been campaigning against the acquisition of 2.47 acres of land for establishment of a permanent police camp on the common land of the village. He was maliciously labelled as anti-state activist and four false cases were filed against him. On October 29, 2018 he was forcibly taken to Khunti police station and made to sign the land acquisition papers of the village land. They threatened him to imprison in the false charges for participating in Pathalgadi movement, if he disobeyed them. The policemen also threatened him that once he was imprisoned, he would never get out of jail. Since he was already facing four false cases, therefore out of fear he signed on the land acquisition papers without his consent due to the intimidation of the police. Only after signing the papers he was released from the police station at 11:00 PM. After this incident, Mr. Munda met the District Land Acquisition Officer, who told him that the villagers have given their consent in the Gram Sabha. As he knew that that Gram Sabha resolution was totally false, he went to the village and conducted a series of meetings against the illegal land acquisition. On July 6, 2019 Mr. Sukram Munda was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen.

HRDA has prayed for immediate and impartial investigation into the brutal murder of Mr. Munda and protection to his family members and colleagues.