After a Maoist carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh was killed on Monday in Latehar district of Jharkhand, security forces neutralised another Maoist in Palamu district during an encounter on Tuesday.
Sources said a major operation involving the police and central security forces was launched on Monday evening in Palamu. During the search operation, an encounter took place with Maoists in the Sitachua area under Mohammadganj and Haidernagar police station limits.
In the encounter, security forces claimed to have killed a top Maoist commander, identified as Tulsi Bhuiyan. The exchange of fire began around 7 p.m. on Monday and continued through to Tuesday morning, with gunshots echoing in the area.
Security forces have cordoned off the entire region and the search operation is still underway.
According to sources, top Maoist leader Nitesh Yadav, who carries a reward of ₹15 lakh, was also injured in the encounter. His squad is believed to include around half a dozen Maoists.
Another notorious Maoist among them is Sanjay Godram, who has a bounty of ₹10 lakh on his head. The encounter occurred in a region long considered a Maoist stronghold.
The Sitachua area is surrounded by hills on all sides and is regarded as a favourable location for Maoists to hide.
Palamu SP Reeshma Rameshan and other senior officers are currently stationed in the area. She stated that the search operation is ongoing and full details will be shared in due course.
Following the encounter, security forces recovered the body of Tulsi Bhuiyan and an SLR rifle from the scene. Police said that a major Maoist conspiracy has been thwarted and further crucial leads are likely to emerge from the continued search operation.
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