A tribal village head, Soma Munda, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Wednesday evening in Jharkhand's Khunti district. Munda, who was the traditional head of 22 villages and had contested the 2024 assembly polls, was returning home on a motorcycle with his wife when the attack occurred. Police are investigating all angles. In protest, several tribal organizations have called for a Khunti bandh on Thursday, with some terming the killing an attack on their culture and autonomy.