RANCHI: In a major achievement, Jharkhand Police have arrested two Maoists belonging to the JJMP (Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad) and recovered sophisticated weapons from their possession. The operation was carried out in the Kurumkheta forest, within the jurisdiction of Chhipadohar police station.
The arrested militants have been identified as Manoj Lohra (son of Bhuvneshwar Lohra), a resident of Jobla Panki in Palamu, and Mahadev Singh (son of the late Adar Singh), a resident of Simariyatand in Latehar. Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav confirmed the information.
Acting on a tip-off on 4 May about the movement of armed cadres of the banned Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) in the Kurumkheta forest area, a police team was dispatched to the spot and arrested them under ‘Operation Dragon’.
According to police sources, the squad, led by Shankar Ram, was allegedly preparing to execute a major Maoist attack. Acting swiftly on the intelligence input, a joint team comprising 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 into the forest.
After an extended pursuit, two militants were apprehended along with weapons, while Shankar Ram and several others managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
SP Kumar Gaurav stated that 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 have been launched in the forest areas to track him down, and security has been heightened in nearby regions.
Police recovered two self-loading rifles (SLRs), magazines, and live ammunition, along with mobile phones from their possession.
Further searches 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 bushes.
According to police, 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. Investigating agencies are now analysing the recovered electronic devices to trace the organisation’s network and communication links.
