Brahmdev Singh, 22, was one of six Adivasis on a traditional chicken hunt in the forests of this tribal-dominated district on 12 June 2021 when he was shot by security forces on a search operation for Maoists here in one of India’s poorest states.

His killing, which police said was not intentional, appeared deliberate because when he fell, he was dragged across a stream and shot again, according to eyewitnesses. No one was ever prosecuted.

More than two years later, based on a report by the crime investigation department (CID) of the Jharkhand police conceding that a police bullet killed Singh, the Jharkhand high court ordered on 14 August 2023 that his family be paid compensation within four weeks.

The court also ordered that the killing be reinvestigated by a team led by a senior police officer.

On 6 December 2023, a compensation of Rs 500,000 was finally given to Singh’s wife Jeeramani Devi by the Jharkhand government. On the reinvestigation of the crime, however, while a team under the superintendent of police of Latehar began its probe in December 2023, senior police officers refused to disclose its findings.

The incident took place around 7 am on the day of the Sarhul festival, when Brahmadev Singh of the Kherwar tribe, along with his uncle and four friends, went hunting in the forest located 200 m from their residence in a village called Piri in Ghasitola panchayat.

In his six-member group was his 24-year-old friend Govinder Singh.

Govinder Singh told Article 14 that local tribals undertake a traditional chicken hunt for years on the occasion of Sarhul, a spring festival, marking the start of a new year on an Adivasi calendar.

“A hen is released into the forest, then the tribals hunt it with their traditional weapons, such as a bow and arrow,” said Govinder Singh.



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