Top PLFI (People’s Liberation Front of India) commander Shravan Das was arrested following a fierce encounter with police in the Tilmi forest area under Jariagarh police station limits in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, officials said on Sunday. The operation also led to the arrest of six other members of his squad, while security forces have launched a continued search operation in the forest region to track down remaining associates.

According to police sources, the action was initiated after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of Shravan Das in the Karra police station area. Acting on the information, Khunti police formed a special operation team under the direction of senior officers and launched a coordinated combing operation in the dense forest belt of Tilmi.

As the security team moved deeper into the forest, armed extremists allegedly opened fire on the police personnel, triggering a gunfight. The police responded immediately, leading to a sustained exchange of fire. During the encounter, Shravan Das sustained injuries and was eventually apprehended by the security forces after being cornered at the site. Officials confirmed that the injured commander was taken into custody and shifted to a nearby hospital, where he is receiving treatment under police supervision.

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Authorities have stated that his condition is stable and that he remains in custody during medical care. Khunti Superintendent of Police Rishabh Garg confirmed the arrest and said that a significant recovery of weapons and materials was made from the encounter site. Police have seized four pistols, several country-made firearms, and more than a dozen live cartridges during the operation. Officials also recovered multiple documents suspected to be linked to the group’s operational planning and funding.

One of the key recoveries, according to the police, is a diary allegedly containing mobile numbers of local contractors along with details of planned criminal activities. Investigators believe the document could provide critical leads in dismantling the PLFI network operating across the region and identifying its financial and logistical connections.

The SP said that Shravan Das had been active for a long period in the Torpa and Karra areas and was considered a major figure in the outfit’s operations in Khunti and surrounding districts. He faces multiple criminal cases, including alleged involvement in firing incidents at railway construction sites, arson attacks, and extortion activities targeting contractors and businesses. Police added that he had been on their wanted list for several years and was booked under provisions related to organised crime and unlawful activities.

Following the encounter and arrests, security forces have intensified search operations in the surrounding forested areas to apprehend any remaining members of the group who may have escaped during the gunfight. Officials said the operation is part of a broader effort to weaken extremist networks in the region and restore security in areas previously affected by PLFI activity. Further investigation is underway to establish the full extent of the group’s operations and support structure.

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