Hazaribagh : Atleast 3 Naxalites, carrying a combined bounty of Rs 1.35 crore, were neutralised in the Pati Piri forest of Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district, Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan informed on Monday.
According to the Hazaribagh SP, Sahdev Soren (alias) Parvesh, a member of the Central Committee, carried a reward of Rs 1 crore. Another neutralised member, Raghunath Hembram, was a member of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee and carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh. Meanwhile Birsen Ganjhu (alias Ramkhelavan), member of the regional committee carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh.
The police have also recovered multiple weapons including an AK-47 from the spot. The encounter is currently ongoing, with security forces searching for any other Naxalites. Earlier on Sunday, the 209 CoBRA battalion and the Hazaribagh police carried out a joint search operation, during which an encounter broke out with Naxalites in the Pati Piri forest under Gorhar police station area of Hazaribagh district.
Earlier in July, CCM member Sahdev Soren was involved in another exchange of fire in which a security official lost his life. According to Bokaro SP Harvinder Singh, a bullet hit the jawan of the 209 battalion during a search operation carried out by Bokaro police. The officials had received information that a "major incident will be carried out by the group".
Earlier on September 7 in Chaibasa, a prominent leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), Aaptan, was killed during a gunfight, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Rakesh Ranjan. The Maoist zonal commander, also known by the name Amit Hansda, had a Rs 10 lakh reward on him, had over 95 cases registered against him, and was allegedly involved in the murder of multiple police officials and civilians. Police said the operation was launched after intelligence on September 6 indicated that top Maoists were planning to carry out major attacks and trying to recruit new cadres.