A major anti-insurgency operation by security forces in the dense forests of Jharkhand’s Latehar district led to the arrest of two militants and the recovery of a significant cache of weapons and ammunition, officials said on Wednesday.
The operation, codenamed “Special Operation Dragon-228,” was launched after Latehar Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav received specific intelligence on May 4 about the movement of armed cadres of the banned Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) in the Kurumkheta forest area.
According to inputs, the group, led by active militant Shankar Ram, was allegedly preparing to execute a major incident. Acting swiftly on the information, a joint team with personnel from the Special Action Team (SAT) and district police, launched a coordinated night operation in the forest.
As the police team advanced cautiously through the dense forest terrain, they noticed suspicious movement. On spotting the security forces, the militants attempted to flee in different directions, triggering a chase deep inside the forest.
After an extended chase, two militants were apprehended with weapons, while Shankar Ram and several others managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Manoj Lohra, a resident of Panki in Palamu district, and Mahadev Singh from Simariyatand in Latehar. Police recovered two Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), magazines, live ammunition, and mobile phones from their possession.
Further search operations in the area led to a major breakthrough, with security forces uncovering an AK-47 rifle, five magazines, dozens of rounds of ammunition, wireless communication sets, and other electronic devices concealed in the bushes.
In total, three modern firearms, 318 live cartridges, walkie-talkies, a Wi-Fi router, mobile phones, and SIM cards were seized.
Officials believe the cache indicates preparations for a major offensive by the militant group. Investigation agencies are now analyzing the recovered electronic devices to trace the organisation’s network and communication links.
SP Kumar Gaurav stated that absconding militant Shankar Ram has been on the radar of security agencies for a long time and is suspected to be leading the group. Intensive search operations are ongoing in the forest areas to track him down, while security has been heightened in nearby regions.
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