Four Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on Friday, police officials confirmed. The gunfight took place in the dense Batuka forest area under the jurisdiction of the Keredari police station. Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoist cadres in the region, security forces launched a coordinated search operation, which led to the exchange of fire, officials said.
According to Barkagaon Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Pawan Kumar, “Four Maoists have been neutralised in the gunfight. Efforts are currently underway to establish their identities.” He added that the operation was carried out with precision and that no injuries were reported among the security personnel involved.
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Police sources indicated that the area has been witnessing sporadic Maoist activity, prompting heightened surveillance and combing operations in recent weeks. Following the encounter, security forces intensified search operations in and around the forest to ensure that no other insurgents managed to escape.
Officials also said that arms, ammunition and other materials suspected to belong to the Maoists may have been recovered from the site, although a detailed inventory is yet to be released.
Senior police officers are expected to provide further information regarding the operation, including the possible affiliation of the slain Maoists and the circumstances leading up to the encounter, after a thorough assessment of the situation.
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