ROURKELA: Absconding hardcore Maoist Johnson Ganjhu (34), who had masterminded the Chaibasa jailbreak in December last year, was on Thursday night shot dead with arrows by tribals of Ranga village in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, about 25 kms from Jareikela in Sundargarh district.
Johnson, the area commander of Maoists, was one of the most wanted cadres of Jharkhand and was involved in at least 39 cases. He was active in Saranda forest under West Singhbhum district and bordering police station areas of Sundargarh district in Odisha.
According to reports, the villagers of Ranga, who were guarding the village, saw Johnson on Thursday night and asked his identity from a safe distance. When Johnson fired at them, the villagers in return shot him with arrows and later pounded his head with a stone. On Friday, Manoharpur police seized the body, recovered a country made gun and two bullets from the spot.
West Singhbhum SP Michael Raj confirmed that Johnson, who was the mastermind of Chaibasa jailbreak in December last year, was killed by unidentified villagers.