New Delhi, April 21: In a major crackdown on Naxals, security forces have neutralized eight Naxals, including three high-ranking leaders, during a joint operation in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district on Monday.
Among the dead was Prayag Manjhi alias Vivek, a top leader carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head.
The operation, conducted by the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) elite CoBRA unit and Jharkhand Police, was witnessed early in the morning around 5:30 am in the Lugu Hills area of Lalpania. The fierce gun battle led to the deaths of:
Prayag Manjhi alias Vivek – Central Committee Member of the Eastern Regional Bureau, with a reward of Rs 1 crore
Arvind Yadav – Wanted with a Rs 25 lakh bounty
Sahebram Manjhi alias Rahul Manjhi – Carried a Rs 10 lakh reward
Mahesh Manjhi alias Mota, Talu, Raju Manjhi, Gangaram, and Mahesh
Security forces recovered a large cache of weapons from the site, including an AK-series rifle, an SLR, three INSAS rifles, a pistol, and eight country-made Bharmar rifles.
The CRPF confirmed that no casualties were reported among the security personnel. "The gunfire has ceased, and a thorough search operation is underway to ensure complete sanitization of the area and to trace any remaining insurgents or hidden arms," the force stated.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the successful operation. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote:
"Our march to eliminate Naxalism continues unabated. Today, security forces achieved another significant success in the ongoing operation to uproot Naxalism. In an encounter at Lugu Hills in Bokaro, eight Maoists were neutralized, including a top-level Naxal leader, Vivek, who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore, and two other notorious Naxalites. Applaud our security forces."
This latest operation brings the total number of Naxals neutralized in 2024 to 104—the highest in the last five years. CRPF figures show a total of 178 Naxals have been killed in joint operations between 2020 and 2024, with the majority of encounters taking place in Chhattisgarh. (With ANI Input)
