Maoist Leader Killed in Jharkhand Clash

Mediningar (Jharkhand), May 27 (PTI): In a significant encounter in Jharkhand's Palamu district, a commander of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) was killed by security forces, as reported by a high-ranking police official on Tuesday.

Another Maoist insurgent, with a bounty of Rs 15 lakh on his head, is believed to have sustained injuries during the clash, the official noted.

Following the confrontation, security personnel recovered several weapons, including a self-loading rifle, the police confirmed.

The skirmish with Maoists occurred in the Sitachuan area, situated between Mohammadganj and Hydernagar police station limits, late on Monday, according to police statements.

"The body of a CPI (Maoist) member has been retrieved after a fierce gunfight between the security forces and the insurgents in Palamu. The identification process is underway," stated Palamu DIG YS Ramesh to PTI.

Conversely, another police official identified the deceased as Tulsi Bhuniyan, a prominent Maoist leader.

Nitesh Yadav, another Maoist with a bounty of Rs 15 lakh, was reported to have been wounded by gunfire, though Ramesh mentioned that this information is yet to be confirmed.

Security forces have upped the ante against Naxals with a significant operation, successfully taking down three notorious Maoists in recent days, including one on Monday.

In the neighboring Latehar district, Manish Yadav, a CPI (Maoist) member with a Rs 5 lakh reward on his capture, was killed during a confrontation with security forces on Monday, and another insurgent was apprehended.

The captured rebel, Kundan Singh Kharwar, a zonal commander in the group, had a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head, and authorities seized two X-95 automatic rifles and ammunition from him.

Both Manish and Kundan had been with CPI (Maoist) for 12 years. Manish was wanted in 40 cases, while Kundan was involved in 27 cases, including a deadly encounter on January 7, 2013, at Amwatikar Tola under Barwadih Police Station, which led to the death of 10 police personnel and injuries to 15 others.

Earlier, on May 24, Pappu Lohra, the chief of the banned Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), with a Rs 10 lakh bounty, along with his associate Prabhat Ganjhu, the sub-zonal commander, were killed during a raid.

Ganjhu carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh. Lohra faced 98 cases, including murder, extortion, and arson, across multiple districts such as Lohardaga, Gumla, Chatra, Palamu, and Latehar, while Ganjhu was implicated in 15 cases.

They were both reportedly involved in the killing of Jharkhand Jaguar deputy commandant Rajesh Kumar during a 2021 operation.

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