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17 Naxals Killed in Jharkhand, Top Maoist Leader with ₹1 Crore Bounty Neutralized

Security forces conducted a major joint operation in Jharkhand's Saranda forest, resulting in a two-day encounter that left 17 Naxals dead. Among the killed was Patiram Majhi alias Anal da, a top Central Committee Member of CPI(Maoist) with a ₹1 crore bounty and 149 cases against him. The operation, involving CoBRA, district police, and Jharkhand Jaguar, is considered a significant success. This action follows recent concerns raised by the Prime Minister about Naxalism and a separate surrender of nine Maoists in Odisha.

Key Points: 17 Naxals Killed in Jharkhand Encounter, Top Leader Anal da Dead

  • Top Maoist leader Patiram Majhi killed
  • 17 Naxal bodies recovered in total
  • Operation involved CoBRA, police, and Jharkhand Jaguar
  • Surrender of 9 Maoists in Odisha follows PM's remarks
  • Saranda forest encounter lasted two days
2 min read

Jharkhand: Security forces recover 17 Naxals' bodies, including five female cadres

Security forces kill 17 Naxals in Jharkhand's Saranda forest, including top CPI(Maoist) leader Patiram Majhi (Anal da) who carried a ₹1 crore bounty.

"The encounter, which lasted for almost two days, has stopped now, but the search operation will resume in daylight. - SDPO Ajay Kerketta"

Chaibasa, January 24

A high-ranking Central Committee member of the CPI, identified as Patiram Majhi alias Anal da, was shot on Thursday during a major joint anti-Naxal operation, Meghaburu. Security officials confirmed that the encounter resulted in the death of the most wanted Naxalites.

Operation Meghaburu was launched on Thursday by 209 CoBRA, Chaibasa district police, and Jharkhand Jaguar in the Saranda forest. During an intense gunfight, Patiram Majhi alias Anal da, who carried a reward of 1 crore on his head in Jharkhand, was killed alongwith 14 other Maoists.

Anal was a Central Committee Member (CCM), the highest decision-making body of CPI (Maoist), and had as many as 149 cases in Jharkhand. On Friday, during the search operation, intermittent firing continued. Later, two more bodies were recovered taking total toll to 17. Security forces are considering this operation a huge success.

SDPO (Kiriburu) Ajay Kerketta said, "The encounter, which lasted for almost two days, has stopped now, but the search operation will resume in daylight."

Meanwhile, on Friday Security forces recovered "one more body of a Naxal" as the encounter, which erupted on Thursday in the area of Saranda Forests, Chaibasa, entered its second day, police said.

Earlier in January, six Naxals were killed in an encounter in Bijapur district under Bastar range, officials said. On January 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing BJP party workers at the BJP national headquarters, raised concerns over the growing influence of urban Naxalism.

Following that, nine Maoists carrying a total bounty of ₹47 lakh surrendered in Chhattisgarh along with a cache of weapons and equipment, Odisha Police said on Friday.

Following the surrender, the Nawarangpur district of Odisha has been declared free from Naxal activity.

According to police, the surrendered Maoists included key leaders from the Nagri Area Committee, Sitanadi Area Committee and Mainpur LGS of the Odisha State Committee under the Dhamtari-Gariaband-Nuapada division.

They were active in the Nawarangpur district of Odisha and the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh under the Odisha State Committee of CPI (Maoist).

The surrendered cadres handed over two INSAS rifles, two SLR rifles, one carbine, one bharmar gun, magazines, ammunition and a radio set, police added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While the operation is a success, it's also tragic to see five female cadres among the dead. What drives young people, especially women, into this path? We need more development and job opportunities in these tribal areas to address the root cause.
R
Rohit P
Good news! The surrender in Odisha is even more important. When cadres lay down arms and join the mainstream, it's a real win. Hope they are properly rehabilitated. This two-pronged approach of action and persuasion seems to be working.
S
Sarah B
The article mentions "urban Naxalism" too. This is a complex issue. Security operations are necessary, but we must also critically examine the socio-economic discontent that fuels this movement, in cities and forests alike.
V
Vikram M
CoBRA and Jharkhand Jaguar have done a phenomenal job. These operations are extremely risky. Hope the forces stay safe during the continued search. Declaring an area "free from Naxal activity" is a big claim, hope it holds true for the locals' sake.
K
Karthik V
A respectful criticism: The reporting focuses heavily on the body count and bounties. What about the human stories? What about the development work promised after such operations? Success should be measured by lasting peace and prosperity in the region, not just encounters.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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