Eight Naxalites were killed on Monday in a major security operation in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district, which the state police described as its biggest successful operation ever.
State DGP Anurag Gupta said that this action has been taken in retaliation for the police personnel martyred in Chaibasa the previous day. The operation started at 4 am in Lugu Pahad of Lalpania police station area, where a joint team of CRPF and police took action against the Naxalites.
Among the Naxalites killed, Prayag Manjhi alias Vivek, who had a bounty of Rs. 1 crore on his head, was prominent. Vivek was a member of the central committee of the CPI Maoist organization and was active in the Parasnath and Jhumra hill areas. More than 60 cases were registered against him in Giridih, Bokaro, Chaibasa and Dhanbad districts.
During the encounter, security forces recovered the bodies of eight Naxalites and seized four INSAS rifles, one SLR and one revolver from them.
In the year 2024, Jharkhand Police arrested 244 Naxalites and killed nine Naxalites. Apart from this, 24 Naxalites surrendered, including four zonal commanders, one sub general commander and three area commanders.
The DGP warned the Naxals to either surrender or be ready to be shot. He also said that soon Jharkhand will become completely Naxal-free.