All party bandh In J'khand peaceful; Decision on CBI probe soon

Ranchi/Jamshedpur, Mar 5 (UNI) The Centre and Jharkhand government today asserted that ''drastic action'' will be taken against the Maoists/Naxalites following killing of JMM MP Sunil Mahto near Jamshedpur yesterday.

The Union Government also expected to take a decision by next 48 hours on the Jharkhand government's request for CBI inquiry into the killing of Mahto, who was also JMM general secretary and MP from Jamshedpur.

All political parties today called dawn-to-dusk bandh, in protest the killings. It passed peacefully barrring an incident of burning of a truck at Chandil in Jhaemshedpur.

DGP J B Mahapatra told UNI in Ranchi that bandh, more or less peaceful, had paralysed the state.

Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal, who rushed to the steel city accompanied by his colleague, Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahai to take stock of the situation, said the Centre would take a decision in a day or two on the state government's plea for CBI inquiry into the killing.

Mr Jaiswal said more forces would be sent to the state to fight the insurgents.

As earlier, Chief Minister Madhu Koda did not rule out ''conspiracy'' angle behind the killing of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader, Mr Jaiswal also echoed the same and asserted that an investigation would unearth the fact.

Terming the incident as ''cowardly and brutal'', Mr Jaiswal said the Centre would assist the government on all possible manner to restore normalcy.

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