Dhanbad SSP Aseem Vikrant Minz visited the home of JMM town president Shankar Rawani and his wife Balika Devi at Gaurkhunti in Sudamdih on Monday to investigate their murder and also spoke to local policemen to ascertain facts about the case.

Minz also took details of the killing from residents of nearby areas and later visited Sudamdih police station where he held a meeting with policemen to discuss Saturday’s (October 10) double murder.

Talking to the media after the site inspection, Minz said, “Although Karan Rawani, the son of the deceased duo, had suspected the involvement of some members of his extended family as they had held a grudge, we are investigating the case from several other angles.”

The SSP was alluding to deceased Shankar Rawani’s cousin Dhiren Rawani. The two had fallen out after having together started a lottery business in their village at Gaurkhunti more than two decades ago.

Asked whether professional gunmen were used in the murder, Minz said they could not say for sure as investigations were still on. “There are several aspects to the case. While on the one hand, a dagger and some bullet shells have been recovered from site, suggesting that these had been used, on the other hand there is also evidence of scuffle, perhaps with Rawani’s attackers,” he said.

Sudamdih police registered an FIR against 10 persons of Gaurkhunti in Bhowra on the basis of a complaint of Karan Rawani, the son of the deceased, Shankar Rawani.

Those named in the FIR are Varun Rawani (brother of Dhiren), Vishnu Rawani (business partner of Dhiren), Pinki Rawani (wife of Dhiren Rawani), Abhijeet Rawani, Amar Rawani, Nishant Rawani, Tarapad Rawani, Dileshwar Rawani, Ajay Rawani and Prakash Rawani.

Deceased Shankar Rawani and his cousin Dhiren also launched a chit fund company, Nagmani, in the early 90s after which there was a dispute and the two parted ways. Shankar Rawani established his own chit fund company, Rainbow, which was later renamed Rainbow Smart Cooperative Society.

Dhiren, however, shifted to Mithu Road in Dhanbad town from his ancestral place at Gaurkhunti. Both Shankar Rawani and Dhiren Rawani lodged several cases against each other in various police stations of Dhanbad, including the one at Sudamdih.

Dhiren Rawani was killed on August 18, 2017 outside his ancestral home in Gaurkhunti when he reached there on occasion on Mansa Puja. An irate mob suspecting the role of Kunal Rawani, elder son of Shankar Rawani, in the Dhiren’s murder, attacked him with boulders and beat him up severely. Kunal died the same day.