Naxalite Killed in Jharkhand Encounter – Rs 2 Lakh Bounty

Jharkhand Police foiled a major Naxal plot in West Singhbhum district. An encounter on August 13, two days before Independence Day, in the forested hill areas led to the killing of a CPI (Maoist) area commander, identified as Arun alias Varun alias Nilesh Madkam.

Madkam carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh.

The joint operation was carried out by Chaibasa Police and Cobra 209 Battalion. Police said that after the exchange of fire, the Naxal squad fled, leaving several members injured.

A search of the area led to the recovery of four SLR rifles looted from police, 527 live cartridges, nine magazines, one LMG magazine, three detonators, five magazine pouches, Maoist uniforms, pamphlets, batteries, jungle shoes, belts, and other materials.

Superintendent of Police, West Singhbhum, said intelligence inputs on August 12 indicated that top Maoist leaders, including Misir Besra, Anmol, Mochu, Aseem Mandal, Ajay Mahato, Sagen Angaria, Ashwin, Ravi Sardar, Jaikant, Arun, Sandeep, Shiva, Rishiv, Uptan, Sanat, Amit Munda, and Bhuneshwar alias Saluka Kayam Somwari, were planning a major incident in the Kolhan region on Independence Day.

Following this, a joint team of Chaibasa Police, Cobra 209 Battalion, CRPF, and Jharkhand Jaguar launched a coordinated operation.

Chaibasa Police urged Naxalites to shun violence and surrender under the Jharkhand government’s new surrender and rehabilitation policy, which promises to shift those who surrender to an open jail within 24 hours.

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