In a blow to the Maoist insurgency, three Maoists – including top leader Sahadev Soren alias Pravesh, who carried a bounty of ₹1 crore – were killed during a joint operation by police and security forces in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on Monday.
The encounter took place around 6 a.m. in the Panitiri jungle under Girhor police station limits, near the Bokaro-Giridih border. Security forces recovered the bodies of Soren and two other Maoists after an exchange of fire.
According to officials, a joint team comprising Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) personnel and police from Giridih and Hazaribagh engaged a CPI (Maoist) group led by Soren.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) confirmed that troops from the 209 CoBRA unit, along with local police, launched the operation.
“An exchange of fire broke out between troops and Maoists. The forces neutralised three Maoists and recovered three AK-47 rifles,” the CRPF said in a statement.
The identities of those killed were confirmed as Sahadev Soren, a Central Committee Member with a bounty of ₹1 crore; Raghunath Hembram, a Special Area Committee Member carrying a ₹25 lakh reward; and Virsen Ganjhu, a Zonal Committee Member with a ₹10 lakh bounty.
No casualties were reported among security personnel. A search operation is ongoing in the area to locate any remaining Maoist operatives.
This encounter marks the second major success for Jharkhand Police in as many days as part of its intensified anti-Maoist campaign.
On Sunday, security forces in Palamu district killed a Maoist carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh in an encounter and recovered an INSAS rifle from the site.
The slain Maoist, identified as Mukhdev alias Mukesh Yadav, was a member of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), a splinter group of the CPI (Maoist). Police said he was associated with the TSPC’s Shashikant gang and had been active across Palamu and adjoining districts for several years, allegedly involved in multiple Maoist-related and criminal incidents.
(IANS)