RANCHI: In a significant breakthrough following Monday’s deadly encounter in the Lugu Pahar region of Bokaro, security forces have arrested two Maoists, including an injured cadre who was found receiving treatment in a nearby village.
The arrested include a woman Maoist, Anita, and another cadre, Dayanand, who sustained two bullet injuries during the encounter and was later traced based on a tip-off.
The Monday encounter had resulted in the death of eight Maoists, including Central Committee Member Vivek, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head. According to police, several Maoists managed to escape, likely with bullet injuries, prompting an intensive search operation in the surrounding forest area.
Anita, a resident of Dumka district in Jharkhand and the wife of hardcore Maoist Raju Manjhi, was among the group during the exchange of fire. As per police sources, “Anita, who was hiding in the forests, surrendered herself out of fear of the police operation.” She was later taken into custody during the ongoing search.
Meanwhile, Dayanand — a close associate of Arvind Yadav, one of the Maoists killed in the encounter — was arrested while undergoing treatment in a nearby village. Acting on precise intelligence, security forces cordoned off the premises and found him in an injured state.
“On a tip-off that Dayanand was getting treatment in a nearby village, the security forces surrounded the premises where the injured person was getting treatment,” said a police official. Two weapons were recovered from his possession, and he is currently being treated under police protection.
During the encounter, Dayanand was hit by two bullets but managed to flee using the dense forests to reach a local settlement for medical attention. He is a resident of Jamui in Bihar.
Police sources revealed that at least five to six female Maoists were present with Vivek during the encounter. Two of them, Talo Di and Ranju Manjhi, were killed instantly when the firing began.
So far this year, 15 Maoists have been killed in operations across Jharkhand, five of whom were wanted. Most of these encounters have taken place in Chaibasa and Bokaro districts.
According to official records, 18 Maoists were killed in 2020, followed by eight in 2021, 12 in 2022, 14 in 2023, and 11 in 2024. However, the Maoist insurgency has also claimed the lives of 20 security personnel during these years.
At present, Maoist activity is limited to five districts in Jharkhand, Giridih, Gumla, Latehar, Lohardaga, and West Singhbhum. Notably, West Singhbhum remains the only district in the state that features among the 12 most Naxal-affected districts across five states in the country.