CM Axes Jamshedpur SSP, Seraikela SP in Tough Law-and-Order Crackdown

Jamshedpur: In one of the strongest administrative actions on law and order in recent years, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren late on  Tuesday night removed East Singhbhum Senior Superintendent of Police Piyush Pandey and Seraikela-Kharsawan Superintendent of Police Nidhi Dwivedi with immediate effect, holding them accountable for their failure to maintain public order and effectively curb rising criminal activities.

Both officers have been attached to the state Police Headquarters pending further orders.

Announcing the decision through his official X handle, the Chief Minister said the action was prompted by serious lapses in maintaining law and order and ineffective policing. 

Reiterating that public safety remains the government's highest priority, he warned that negligence and lack of accountability at any level would not be tolerated.

To restore public confidence and strengthen policing in the Kolhan region, Hemant Soren directed Kolhan Commissioner and the ADG, Ranchi, to camp in the affected districts and conduct daily reviews of the law-and-order situation. 

The DIG, Kolhan, has also been asked to remain stationed in Jamshedpur to personally supervise policing and security arrangements.

The sweeping action comes amid mounting public outrage over a series of recent incidents, most notably the murder of 24-year-old Himanshu Singh outside the Double Down (DD) pub in Jamshedpur's Bistupur.

 Singh was allegedly stabbed to death following a violent altercation outside the establishment, reportedly in the presence of on-duty police personnel. 

The incident sparked widespread protests, leading to the suspension of four police personnel, including the Officer-in-Charge of Bistupur police station.

The removal of Seraikela-Kharsawan SP Nidhi Dwivedi also follows intense criticism over the alleged custodial assault of an Adivasi woman at the Kapali police outpost. Earlier, three police personnel, including the outpost in-charge, were suspended in connection with the incident.

The Chief Minister's decisive intervention is being viewed in political and administrative circles as a clear assertion of the government's zero-tolerance policy towards crime and police negligence. 

By publicly announcing the action, the government has sent a strong message that accountability within the police force will be enforced firmly and without exception.