Com Laldhan Mahto was shot to death in cold blood in his village Ghaghri on 4 April 2002 by the police during the Giridih bandh to protest against the police Raj and pro-corporate policies which the BJP government had been imposing on the State ever since its inception in 2000. The CPI (ML) and Com. Mahendra Singh were leading a strong movement against this. Com Mahendra Singh had become a popular and well-known people’s leader in Bagodar and Com. Rajkumar Yadav was attaining popularity in the Rajdhanwar Assembly constituency. Babulal Marandi and Rabindra Rai felt threatened by the rapid advances of the CPI (ML) in the entire Giridih. They responded with a two-pronged attack: arresting prominent party leaders; and police repression and killing of party activists. Com. Rajkumar Yadav was arrested on 2 April 2002 and Com. Laldhan Mahto was killed. Com. Mahendra Singh was arrested during the protest against his arrest on 4 April. On the 15th anniversary of Com Laldhan Mahto’s martyrdom the CPI (ML) organized a rally which started from GT Road and culminated in a meeting at Bhandar Tola Middle School where Com Laldhan had been a teacher. The meeting was addressed by Com Vinod Singh, Com. Rajkumar Yadav, Com. Pooran Mahto, Com. Parmeshwar Mahto and other leaders. The speakers said that the Modi and Raghuvar governments are attacking people’s livelihoods and lives and facilitating loot of Jharkhand’s resources by corporate houses. The meeting resolved to fulfill Com Laldhan Mahto’s dreams and carry forward his struggles by mobilizing and organizing the people to end the fascist-communal BJP rule.
A meeting was also organized in Balliya panchayat on 2 April to observe the 5th martyrdom anniversary of popular leader late Com Tilakdhari Prasad Rai. Addressing the meeting, former MLA Com. Vinod Kumar Singh, and comrades Lambodar Turi, Narayan Mandal, Sitaram Singh, Mustaqeem Ansari, Sukhdev Verma, Ashresh Turi and other speakers called upon the people to fight against fascist-communal forces ad carry forward the work of Com Rai.
