VZCZCXRO3626
RR RUEHBI RUEHCI
DE RUEHCI #0206 1921008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101008Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2070
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1944
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0897
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0902
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0590
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0190
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0449
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0608
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2530

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000206 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PTER PGOV PHUM IN
SUBJECT: SUSPECTED MAOISTS KILL JHARKHAND LEGISLATOR 
 
1.(SBU) Summary:  On Wednesday July 9, former Jharkhand minister 
and sitting Janata Dal (United) legislator (MLA) in the State 
Assembly Ramesh Singh Munda was shot dead by about a dozen 
suspected Maoists.  Three of his bodyguards and a student were 
also killed in the attack which was carried out in a local 
school in Bundu where Munda was the chief guest at a prize 
distribution ceremony.  Bundu is situated 60 kilometers 
southeast of the Jharkhand capital,  Ranchi.  Since 2005, Munda 
is the third top politician in the state, after Jharkhand Mukti 
Morcha's (JMM) Member of Parliament (MP) Sunil Mahto and 
Communist Party of India - Marxist-Leninist MLA Mahendra Singh, 
to be killed by suspected Maoist rebels in Jharkhand. End 
summary. 
 
2.(U) On July 9, former Jharkhand cabinet minister and sitting 
Janata Dal (United) legislator (MLA) in Jharkhand State 
Assembly, Ramesh Singh Munda, was allegedly shot dead by about a 
dozen suspected Maoists.  Three of his bodyguards and a student 
were also killed in the attack that was carried out when Munda 
was delivering a speech in a prize distribution function at a 
local school at Bundu.  Incidentally, the school falls in the 
Tamar Assembly constituency, about 60 kilometers southeast of 
the Jharkhand capital of Ranchi.  Munda, who was the chief guest 
at the function, had represented the constituency twice since 
¶2000. 
 
3.(SBU) A senior police official in Jharkhand informed Congen 
that they were investigating the case.  The suspected Maoists 
fled the scene after the incident and no arrest has been made so 
far.  The police source added that due to security reasons, 
since 2007 all ministers and legislators have been instructed to 
keep the local police stations informed about their movements. 
He added that the suspected Maoists opened fire with 
semi-automatic weapons from close range.  Media sources revealed 
that in 2005, the Jharkhand Police intelligence had taken note 
of Ramesh Singh Munda (then a minister in the Arjun Munda's 
National Democratic Alliance government), and that he was on the 
hit list of the Maoists because he had not paid half of the 
amount he had promised them for securing their support during 
the Assembly polls in 2005. 
 
4.(SBU) Munda was also the leader of JD (U) legislature party in 
the Jharkhand Assembly. He is the third top politician in 
Jharkhand, after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) Member of 
Parliament Sunil Mahto and Communist Party of India - 
Marxist-Leninist legislator Mahendra Singh, to have been killed 
by suspected Maoist rebels in Jharkhand.  In January 2005 Singh 
was killed while addressing a public meeting, while Mahto was 
targeted by the Maoist rebels in March 2007 when he was busy 
distributing prizes at a local football tournament (2007 Kolkata 
074). 
 
5.(SBU) Comment: Attack on senior Jharkhand politicians by 
Maoist rebels during public functions seems to be a common modus 
operandi in Jharkhand.  According to media sources, the killing 
could be in retaliation for unfulfilled promises made by the 
politicians to the Maoists during the elections.  The incident 
also highlights the continuing poor security situation in much 
of Jharkhand.  In the 26 districts in the state of Jharkhand, 18 
are considered to be infested by Maoists, and the state 
government has yet to draw up an effective plan to contain the 
rebels. 
 
KELLY