Security Forces Eliminate 15 Maoists Including High-Value Leader in Saranda Operation
A CoBRA unit operation based on a tip-off led to an early morning exchange of fire; a huge cache of arms was recovered as the encounter continued.
Fifteen Maoists, including a top leader carrying a bounty of ₹1 crore, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Thursday, police said. The gunfight took place in the dense Saranda forest area, which has long been considered a stronghold of left-wing extremism.
According to officials, the deceased include Patiram Majhi, also known as Anal Da, a senior Maoist leader who was among the most wanted insurgents in the region. Police said his presence in the forest had been confirmed following specific intelligence inputs, prompting a large-scale anti-Maoist operation.
Around 1,500 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force’s elite CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) unit are involved in the ongoing operation in the Kumdi area under the Kiriburu police station limits. Security forces have also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from the encounter site.
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In a statement issued by the police headquarters, officials said the exchange of fire began at around 6 am on Thursday and was still continuing at the time of reporting. “We have recovered the bodies of 15 Maoists, including their top leader, Anal Da. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition has also been recovered,” the statement said.
The anti-Maoist operation in the Saranda forest has been underway since Tuesday, police said, but direct firing started only on Thursday morning when security forces came into contact with the insurgents. The area is known for difficult terrain and thick forest cover, often complicating counter-insurgency efforts.
Inspector General of Police (Operations) Michael Raj S told PTI that the operation was launched after receiving a tip-off about the movement of Anal Da and his squad in the region. He said security forces remain on high alert, and the operation will continue until the area is fully sanitised.
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