Ranchi, November 23: Days ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2019, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohan Gupta was shot dead by unknown assailants on Saturday in Palamu district of the state. Jharkhand police have started investigation in the case. Manhunt operation has been launched to nab the assailants. Gupta was shot dead, a day after a Naxal attack in Latehar district of the state. Jharkhand: 5 Police Officials Shot Dead in Naxal Attack in Saraikela.

On Friday, four police personnel were lost their lives in the state. According to reports, Naxals attacked a PCR van carrying a police party in Chandwa police station area of the district. The police personnel who were killed in the attack were identified as Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Sakra Uranv and three home guards -- Dinesh Kumar, Sikander Singh and Yamuna Ram.

These incidents of violence were reported from the Naxal affected state days before the first phase of assembly elections. The elections for 81-member Jharkhand assembly is scheduled to take place in five phases starting from November 30. The main contest will be between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  and the Congress-RJD-JMM alliance.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2019 07:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).