RANCHI: CRPF Special DG Deepak Kumar has issued a stern ultimatum to top Maoist leader Misir Besra and his associates, asking them to surrender and return to the mainstream within a month or face decisive action.
Amidst the ongoing anti-Naxal operations in the dense and inaccessible forests of Saranda in West Singhbhum, CRPF Special DG Deepak Kumar visited the security camp in Baliba village, where he interacted with personnel to boost their morale.
After spending nearly two hours at the camp, Kumar held a meeting with officials and formulated a strategy to intensify operations in the coming days.
The Special CRPF DG also listened to the grievances of the security personnel.
Talking to the media persons, the Special DG informed that West Singhbhum remains the only district in the entire country that is still affected by Maoists.
He clarified that the ongoing operation in Saranda is specifically targeting the Maoist leader Misir Besra and his team. “The forces have set a one-month deadline, during which Besra will either be arrested or neutralised, though surrender remains the preferred option,” said the Special CRPF DG.
He also approved the next phase of the offensive, emphasising that security forces will maintain relentless pressure until the objective is achieved.
The Special CRPF DG also directed the forces to eliminate Maoist influence from Saranda within the stipulated timeframe, signalling a significant escalation in operations across the dense forest belt.
Notably, this is the first time that security forces have explicitly set a one-month deadline against a top Maoist leader.
This signals that the operation has moved beyond routine combing and is now proceeding in a fully targeted mode, where the forces’ focus is directed towards eliminating the leadership.
Around 45–50 Maoists are currently believed to be active in the Saranda region, where security operations are being intensified.
According to police sources, security forces have cordoned off the Maoists within a 10-kilometre radius in the Saranda jungles.
Top Maoist leader Misir Besra, a Politburo member carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, is believed to be trapped inside it. When asked about any initiative taken by the Misir Besra or his associates for their surrender, Deepak Kumar clarified that there has been no initiative from the Maoists so far in this regard.
He also dismissed reports of Misir Besra's son visiting Saranda, stating that there is no such information. “With no positive response from the Maoists so far, security forces have stepped up operations with greater intensity,” said Deepak Kumar.
Search operations will be further intensified in the coming days, with forces pushing deeper into the forested areas, he added.
The operation is seen as a major development in ongoing anti-Maoist efforts in Jharkhand, especially in Saranda region, a long-time stronghold of Left-Wing Extremism.
Notably, a handful of Maoists, who are still left in Sarnada Forests, have now shifted to mobile camps to avoid being detected by security forces.
To prevent police from reaching to the bunkers, a strong network of spike holes and IEDs have been laid around it. Despite the fact that Maoists have planted IEDs in the entire area, forces are advancing slowly into the jungles with full determination and have established several temporary security camps in their core areas.