Bokaro Jungle Encounter: Two Naxalites, Including ₹25 Lakh Bounty Rebel, Killed; One CRPF Jawan Martyred
Gomia(The Uttam Hindu): In a major anti-Naxal operation, a fierce encounter broke out between security forces and Naxalites on Wednesday morning in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district. The gunbattle is ongoing in the dense forests of Jageshwar Bihar under Gomia block, between Lugu Pahar and Jhumra Pahar. According to police sources, two Naxalites have been killed, including the dreaded rebel Kunwar Manjhi, who carried a bounty of ₹25 lakh. A CRPF jawan was martyred, while another member of the elite Cobra battalion sustained injuries during the clash.
The encounter erupted during a joint search operation by the Jharkhand Police and CRPF, following intel on heavy Naxal movement in the area. As security forces closed in, the ultras opened indiscriminate fire, prompting a retaliatory assault. Multiple rounds were exchanged from both sides, shaking the otherwise silent Naxal-dominated terrain.
This operation comes just weeks after security forces foiled a major Naxal conspiracy in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum on July 4, where 30 powerful IEDs were recovered and safely defused. Earlier on July 1, 18,000 detonators, intended for making IEDs, were seized from Tonto police station area forests. The fresh encounter underscores the sustained anti-Naxal push in Jharkhand, one of the worst-hit states in India’s Red Corridor.