At least two extremists from the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), including its commander, were killed in a fierce encounter with Jharkhand Police near the Salaiya forest in Latehar district late on Friday night.
Palamu Range DIG Y.S. Ramesh confirmed that two extremists, including the JJMP supremo, were killed in the encounter.
According to reports, Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav had dispatched a team to the Salaiya forest based on confidential information that a Naxal squad was camping in the area. The police team cordoned off the forest and initiated a search operation.
When the Naxals were surrounded, they opened fire on the police. The police retaliated, and in the ensuing exchange, two extremists — including JJMP commander Pappu Lohara — were shot dead.
DIG Y.S. Ramesh stated that the bodies of both extremists had been recovered, and a search operation is ongoing to track down the remaining members of the group.
The JJMP had been particularly active in Latehar, Gumla, Palamu, Lohardaga and surrounding districts. Police have been carrying out sustained operations against the group in recent days.
Besides CPI (Maoist), Jharkhand has been affected by extremist violence carried out by several splinter groups over the past two decades, including TPC, TSPC, PLFI, JJMP, Pahari Cheetah and others.
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