Zonal Commander among 4 Maoists killed in encounter in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum; police say they had planned ambush

Amol V Homkar, IG (Operations), Jharkhand Police, said, “Four members of the banned CPI(Maoist) were killed and two have been arrested earlier this morning in the forests of West Singhbhum district. The security forces are combing the area”.

Ashutosh Shekhar, Superintendent of Police, West Singhbhum, told The Indian Express, “Among the four killed, one was a zonal commander, another one a sub-general commander, one was the area commander, and another one was a woman member. After the encounter, security forces arrested two Naxalites — an area commander and a hardcore female Naxalite”.

When asked about the identity of the cadre members killed, Shekhar said, “We are reaching the area and the identities will be ascertained.”

Police sources said the members of the CPI( Maoists), who were lying in ambush, started firing and police ‘returned fire’ in which four Maoists were killed.

A joint campaign has been ongoing by members of the Jharkhand Police and the Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF) in the area. Sources said top leaders of the banned organisation such as Misir Besra and Anmol Mocchu along with their squad members have been roaming in the Kolhan area of West Singhbhum.

On June 9, weapons such as light machine guns (LMGs), rifles, country-made pistols, and nine mobile phones among others were found during a joint operation conducted in various villages of Kuida, Chhota Kuida, Maradiri, Meralgada, Hathiburu under Goilkera police station, and Husipi, Rajabasa, Tumbahaka, and Regada villages under Tonto police station of the state.