Chirkunda based notorious criminal Anand Vardhan also known as Mantu Kashyap lodged in Dhanbad Divisional Jail since June 28, died on Sunday morning while he was being taken to Sahid Nirmal Memorial Medical College after he complained of chest pain.

The incident took place at around 7 am when Kashyap was rushed to Sahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital by the jail authorities following chest pain, where he was declared brought dead.

Jail Superintendent Ajay Kumar said, “Mintu Kashyap’s health condition deteriorated during the morning hours as he felt chest pain and difficulties in breathing following which he was referred to SNMMCH following primary check up by jail doctor.”

Dhanbad district administration led by Deputy Commissioner Uma Shankar ordered an enquiry into the death and constituted a medical board to carry out post mortem of the body.

Kashyap, who has links with the notorious Guddu Shukla gang of Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by police from Chirkunda on June 28 along with two of his accomplices in connection with the Vinod Jha murder case of Chirkunda on February 24.

Vinod Jha, a former accomplice of Kashyap, was in the money lending business. Jha’s relationship with Kashyap had turned sour over a money dispute as a result of which he was killed.

Geeta Devi, wife of Vinod Jha, in her complaint to police had directly charged Mantu Kashyap for her husband’s death and revealed to police that her husband used to work for Mantu Kashyap since 2011 in his money lending business.

Geeta further claimed that her husband stopped working for Kashyap in October last year over a money dispute with Jha.

Kashyap was nursing a grudge against Jha ever since he parted ways with him and was killed in Taldanga colony of Maithon near a temple on February 24 at around 1.30 pm when he was playing cards along with some of his friends under the shade of a tree.

Police launched an investigation after Jha’s murder and arrested eight persons within a week of his murder of February 24.

Main accused, Mantu Kashyap however, remained elusive and was finally arrested along with one of his female accomplice and her son on June 28. He was subsequently sent to Dhanbad jail on judicial custody after being produced in court.