A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security forces in the forests of Manatu in the Palamu district of Jharkhand Sunday morning, said the police.
The identity of the Naxalite is yet to be officially confirmed, though the police said he was “most probably” Mukhdev Yadav, a commander of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh. An INSAS rifle was also recovered from the spot.
The gun battle began around 7 am and involved over 200 personnel from the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), Jharkhand Jaguar, and Palamu police units.
“There was an exchange of fire between the combined teams of CoBRA, Jharkhand Jaguar, and Palamu Police with the TSPC squad led by Shashikant, with a Rs 10 lakh reward. One body has been recovered along with an INSAS rifle. It is most probably that of Mukhdev Yadav, but final confirmation will only be made once his family identifies the body,” Palamu SP Reeshma Ramesan told The Indian Express.
The encounter comes less than two weeks after two policemen were killed and another critically injured in Kedal forest under the Manatu police station during a similar anti-Maoist operation against the same TSPC squad.
Acting on intelligence that militants were camping in Kedal and planning a strike, security forces had moved in when they came under heavy fire. In the exchange, policemen Santan Kumar Mehta and Sunil Ram, both residents of Haidarnagar, were killed, while another jawan, Rohit Kumar, sustained serious bullet injuries and underwent surgery in Daltonganj.
Since then, security forces have launched an intensified campaign in the border forests of Manatu, Tarhasi, and Chatra to neutralise the group.
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Police sources said the current operation specifically targets the squad led by TSPC commander Shashikant Ganjhu, believed to have 8–10 active members, including another wanted cadre, Nagina.
The operation is still going on, said police sources.
