Ranchi: Three Maoists, including one carrying a Rs 1 crore bounty on his head, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand’s Hazaribag district on Monday morning, police said.
The encounter broke out in the Pantitri forest under the Gorhar Police Station limits around 6 am between the squad of Sahdev Soren of the banned CPI (Maoist) and security forces, a senior officer said.
“The bodies of Sahdev Soren, who was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, and two other Maoists have been recovered during the search operation,” Jharkhand Police IG (operations) and spokesperson Michael Raj S told PTI.
He said that Sahdev alias Prawesh was a central committee member of the proscribed CPI (Maoist).
The two others killed in the operation were identified as Raghunath Hembram alias Chanchal and Birsen Ganjhu, he said.
“Raghunath was a special area committee member of the organisation and carried a Rs 25 lakh reward on his head, while Ganjhu was a zonal committee member carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head,” the IG (operations) said.
Several weapons, including three AK-47s and 63 live cartridges were recovered from the encounter, another officer said. Sahdev was wanted in 30 cases, Raghunath in 58 cases and Birsen was wanted in 36 cases, according to a police statement.
Based on an intelligence report, a joint operation, comprising CoBRA, Hazaribag and Giridih police personnel, was carried out in Pantitri forest along the border of Bokaro and Giridih districts, he said.
“As the joint forces reached the forest, Maoists started firing at them, and the security forces retaliated. Three Maoists were killed during the gunfight,” the police officer said.
Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta, who visited Hazaribag on Monday, said this is a big achievement for the state police.
“Our two jawans were injured in the incident, but they are out of danger. Our field officers and those who are monitoring the situation did not sleep the whole night until the operation was executed,” Gupta told reporters.
He said that deceased Maoists were involved in killing of a dozen of policemen and even in the murder of the leader of opposition Babulal Marandi’s son. They had also looted 183 rifles from police.
“After this incident, Naxalism was completely eradicated from north Jharkhand. Some Maoists remained in Saranda area of Chaibasa and operations against them are underway. As many as 29 red-rebels were killed since January 1. We urge them either to surrender or face the consequences,” the DGP said.