Security force personnel patrol in Maoist region.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Chaibasa: Fifteen Maoists, including top leader Anal Da who was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Thursday, police said.
Around 1,500 personnel of the CRPF's CoBRA unit are engaged in the operation in Saranda forest's Kumdi in the Kiriburu police station area, they said.
"We have recovered the bodies of 15 Maoists, including their top leader Patiram Majhi alias Anal Da. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition has also been recovered. The encounter, which began at 6 am, is still on," a police officer said.
The anti-Maoist operation has been on in the Saranda forest since Tuesday, but the exchange of fire began on Thursday morning, he said.
Inspector General of Police (Operations) Michael Raj S told PTI that the operation was started after the police received a tip-off about the presence of Anal Da, along with his squad, in Saranda forest.
A resident of Pirtand in Giridih district, Anal Da had been active since 1987. Police have been searching for him for years.
CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh visited Chaibasa, the district headquarters of West Singhbhum, on Monday.
Kolhan and Saranda are considered the last strongholds of Maoists in Jharkhand. Security forces have effectively curtailed their activities in Buda Pahad, Chatra, Latehar, Gumla, Lohardaga, Ranchi, and Parasnath, officials said.