Bokaro, Jharkhand: Security forces gunned down a Sub-Zonal Naxal Commander during an early morning encounter in the forests of Bokaro district on Wednesday. The joint operation was carried out by the 209 CoBRA unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police.
The slain Naxal has been identified as Kunwar Manjhi, also known by his aliases Sahdeo Manjhi and Sade. An AK-47 rifle was recovered from the encounter site, officials said.
During the operation, which began around 6:30 AM, CRPF Constable Praneswar Koch of the 209 CoBRA unit sustained a bullet injury and was subsequently hospitalised. The security operation is ongoing.
This incident comes amid a broader crackdown on Naxal activities across central India. In Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai recently stated that “Naxalism is taking its last breaths,” citing intensified efforts by security forces over the past year and a half.
Reiterating the central government’s commitment, CM Sai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah aim to eradicate Naxalism nationwide by March 31, 2026. “That dream will come true,” he asserted.
In a major development on Saturday, 23 hardcore Naxalites — including 14 men and 9 women — surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. They were carrying a combined bounty of ₹1.18 crore, according to police.
Sukma SP Kiran Chauhan confirmed the surrender and appealed to remaining Naxal cadres to lay down arms and join the mainstream, adding that those who surrender will receive benefits under government policy.
Earlier, on July 8, two CRPF personnel were injured after an IED blast triggered by Maoists on the Timapur-Murdanda road in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district.
