CM Hemant Soren Removes Jamshedpur SSP after DD Bar Murder Case

Ranchi: In a major administrative crackdown following the murder of 24-year-old Himanshu Singh outside a Jamshedpur nightclub, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren removed East Singhbhum Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Piyush Pandey. Soren also transferred the Seraikela-Kharsawan Superintendent of Police (SP) Nidhi Dwivedi late Tuesday night.

The state government stripped both top cops of their posts with immediate effect and attached them to police headquarters for failing to control rising crime and maintain law and order in their districts.

To stabilize the law-and-order situation, the government ordered the Chaibasa Commissioner and the Ranchi ADG to camp in the sensitive zones and conduct daily reviews. Additionally, the Kolhan DIG will also be stationed in Jamshedpur to supervise policing personally.

“Public Safety is Our Top Priority,” Warns CM

Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the strict action on his official X account late Tuesday night following public outrage.

“I have decided to remove the Senior Superintendent of Police of East Singhbhum and the Superintendent of Police of Seraikela-Kharsawan from their posts with immediate effect and attach them to police headquarters due to their failure to maintain law and order and negligence in establishing effective control over criminal activities,” Soren posted.

“The Commissioner of Chaibasa and the ADG of Ranchi have been directed to constantly camp in the area and review the situation daily. Furthermore, the DIG will remain in Jamshedpur to monitor the law-and-order situation. The safety of the public is our topmost priority. Stringent action will be taken against criminals, and negligence or evading accountability at any level will not be allowed.”

The Incident that Triggered the Axing

The Chief Minister’s swift directive follows the death of Adityapur resident Himanshu Singh on Monday night. Over the weekend, an altercation broke out between Himanshu, his friend Pratyush, and a group of individuals inside the ‘Double Down’ (DD) club in Bistupur. The dispute escalated outside the venue, where criminals stabbed both youths with knives—allegedly right in front of on-duty police personnel.

While doctors treated both victims at a local hospital, Himanshu succumbed to his injuries on Monday, sparking massive protests and outrage across Jamshedpur. The Jamshedpur police authorities have suspended four police officers, including the Bistupur police station SHO in this connection.

Double Trouble for Seraikela Police

Though Soren’s post does not mention the reason behind the punitive action against the top cops, the suspension of Seraikela-Kharsawan SP Nidhi Dwivedi also follows a separate, severe controversy regarding police brutality in her district.

Earlier, district authorities suspended three personnel—the Officer-in-Charge of the Kapali Police Outpost, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), and a lady constable—for brutally assaulting an Adivasi woman inside the police station.

The victim, Alpana Mahali, a resident of the Kandarbera Rehabilitation Colony, suffered severe injuries during a gruelling three-hour interrogation regarding a missing friend. Police later rushed Mahali to the MGM Hospital in Jamshedpur for treatment. Before her own suspension, SP Dwivedi had ordered a formal probe into the incident, which has added to the public outcry rocking the region’s law enforcement.