A Maoist was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the Goilkera police station area of West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand, on Wednesday morning.
An SLR rifle was recovered from the spot. Police said that the efforts to identify the deceased Maoist are underway.
The incident took place in the forested and hilly region of Sauta, where personnel of the CRPF and Jharkhand Police were conducting a search operation.
According to police sources, the security team came under sudden fire from Maoists hiding in the area. The forces retaliated, triggering a brief gunfight in which one insurgent was shot dead.
West Singhbhum has been a hotspot of Maoist activity for years, and security forces have been carrying out sustained anti-Maoist operations to curb their presence. Wednesday’s encounter was part of an intensified search campaign aimed at flushing out armed cadres from the dense jungles.
Following the incident, security personnel continued combing the area to ensure no other members of the group remained hidden. “Operations are still underway. We are determined to neutralize the Maoist presence in the district,” a senior police officer said.
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The forest belts of Kolhan and Saranda remain strongholds for several top CPI (Maoist) leaders, including Misir Besra, Anmol, Mochu, Anal, Asim Mandal, Ajay Mahato, Sagen Angaria, Ashwin, Pintu Lohara, Chandan Lohara, Amit Hansda alias Uptan, Jaikant, and Rapa Munda.
Intelligence inputs suggest they are moving with their squads in these regions, prompting continuous search and combing missions by security forces.
Officials believe the seized rifle could help in identifying the unit involved in the attack. Authorities have reiterated that operations will continue until extremist activity in the district is fully eliminated.
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