5 Maoists killed in encounter with police in Jharkhand

Shashank Shekhar

Ranchi ( Jharkhand) : Five armed maoists were killed on April 4, 2018, in an  early morning encounter with security forces comprising  district police cops and CRPF men in Serendaag jungle in Latehar district, about 110 km away from Jharkhand capital Ranchi. More than 100 rounds were fired from the both sides during the encounter.Five rifles including three AK—56 were also recovered by the cops after the encounter.

Five bodies were found at the encounter spot but as blood stains have been found from several spots its feared  that several other naxalites must have been injured too in the encounter. The injured naxalites managed to escape in deep jungle zone where massive search operation is still going on.

Acting on a tip off that a group of maoists had assembled in the jungle to hold a high level  meeting  in the early hours, a joint team of Latehar district police and the CRPF cordoned the area around midnight and kept waiting till morning hours positioning themselves at vantage points  to give befitting reply to the red brigade.

Police sources added that as the meeting was to start, security forces ordered the naxalites either to surrender or face the bullets as they were surrounded from all sides after which the naxalites started firing indiscriminately to take an escape route but were overpowered  as five of their men lining fell to the bullets of security forces. The security personnel have also launched a massive search operation in areas around Latehar, Maneka and Hariharganj area .

“The security forces  had asked the ultras to surrender, but the Maoists started firing on the security personnel this morning forcing the joint team to retaliate in which five naxalites were shot dead,” stated the Latehar SP.

Congratulating the security personals for the successful mission, Jharkhand DGP D K Pandey stated that  mission against naxalites will be carried in big way in future till naxalism is wiped out from Jharkhand.