RANCHI: As anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand enter their final phase, the Jharkhand Police has initiated a large-scale poster campaign across the Saranda region to identify and locate remaining insurgents.
The campaign involves three types of posters placed in forests, villages, and key routes. The first displays photographs of wanted Maoists, reward amounts, and contact details of police officials, assuring informants of full rewards and confidentiality. The second promotes the government’s surrender policy, urging Maoists to rejoin mainstream society. The third highlights violence by Maoists, including killings of civilians and security personnel, and the impact of IED blasts. These are also distributed directly among villagers.
All materials are printed in local languages such as Ho, Mundari, and Santhali. Pamphlets are also being circulated as part of the outreach.
The campaign comes ahead of the Centre’s March 31, 2026 deadline to eliminate Maoism. While operations have reduced Maoist presence, Saranda remains a key stronghold.
Earlier, three Naxal commanders—each carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, were active in the Kolhan-Saranda region. Following a January 22 encounter in which 17 Maoists were killed, including two commanders, only two top leaders—Misir Besra and Asim Mandal—remain in the region, along with around 50 others.
More than 15,000 security personnel are currently deployed in Saranda. Police officials state that operations combining encounters, surrender policies, public outreach, and psychological measures are underway. Authorities maintain that eliminating Maoist presence in Saranda would largely resolve the issue in Jharkhand.
