• Tribal leader Nisha Bhagat was found dead in Ranchi on Friday.
• Police are examining her Facebook Live video from shortly before the incident.
• She was known for campaigning on tribal rights, identity and the Sarna Religious Code.
• Bhagat contested the 2024 Assembly election from Gumla as a JLKM candidate.

GG News Bureau
Ranchi, 6th Nov: The tribal leader Nisha Bhagat was found dead in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on Friday. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.

The Nisha Bhagat death case came to light shortly after she reportedly went live on Facebook for around 10 minutes, speaking about her work for tribal society and the challenges she faced.

Bhagat was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors examined her and declared her dead.

During the Facebook Live session, Bhagat spoke about her work for tribal society and her efforts to protect her community. She said she had continued fighting for tribal rights but felt that nothing was changing. She also claimed that she had approached the administration over her security concerns but felt that her requests had not been addressed. At one point, she expressed the feeling that nobody stood with her.

The reasons behind her death are not yet known. Police are speaking to her family members and people living nearby. The Facebook Live video is also being examined as part of the investigation.

Background and work for tribal rights
Originally from Gumla district, Nisha Bhagat belonged to the Oraon tribal community. She was known for working on issues related to tribal rights, identity, culture and traditions.

Her father, Handu Bhagat, was an activist associated with the Jharkhand movement. His involvement in the movement and the struggle for tribal rights left a deep influence on her.

After completing school, Bhagat studied hotel management in Durgapur and later worked in Bengaluru. She eventually left her job to focus on issues concerning the identity, culture and rights of tribal communities.

Her activism centred on the demand for a separate Sarna Religious Code and the protection of jal-jangal-zameen — water, forests and land. She also raised issues concerning the implementation of the CNT-SPT Acts and the PESA Act, along with the preservation of tribal culture and traditions.

Campaigns on conversion and delisting
Bhagat also spoke publicly on religious conversion and the issue of delisting. In December 2025, she shaved her head to protest against religious conversion and delisting.

She argued that people who converted to another religion should not receive the benefits of tribal reservation. She put forward this position on public platforms and led awareness campaigns within the tribal community.

Political association
Alongside her social work, Bhagat became active in politics. She was associated with the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) and contested the 2024 Legislative Assembly election from the Gumla constituency.

Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.