CPI (Maoist) with ₹5 lakh bounty killed in gunfight in Jharkhand

Security forces vehicles at Mahuadand forest area after encounter with CPI-Maoist rebels in Latehar district, Jharkhand, on May 26, 2025 | Photo Credit: PTI

A member of the banned CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh on his head, was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Latehar district on Monday (May 26, 2025), a senior police official said.

Another red rebel was arrested during the operation, he said.

The encounter between security forces and Maoists broke out in a forest in Dauna under the Mauhadand Police Station limits on Sunday night, he said.

"Manish Yadav, who was carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head, was killed in the gunfight with security forces. Another Maoist, Kundan Kherwar, was arrested," Palamu DIG YS Ramesh told PTI.

Kundan is stated to be carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh on his head.

However, Mr. Ramesh said that the reward on Kundan's head is yet to be verified.

The operation was conducted barely two days after two Maoists, including JJMP supremo Pappu Lohra, who was carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh on his head, were killed in an anti-Maoist operation by security forces in the district.

On May 24, Lohra, the chief of the proscribed Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a Maoist splinter group, and his associate Prabhat Ganjhu, the sub-zonal commander of the organisation, were killed during the operation.

Ganjhu was carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh on his head.

The joint operation was carried out by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police in the Ichabar forest area under the Latehar Police Station limits.

Editorial | ​Decisive moment: On Chhattisgarh anti-Maoist operation

Lohra was wanted in 98 cases, including murder, extortion, and arson, across several districts such as Lohardaga, Gumla, Chatra, Palamu, and Latehar.

Ganjhu was wanted in 15 cases, according to Mr. Ramesh.

Both were allegedly involved in the killing of Jharkhand Jaguar deputy commandant Rajesh Kumar during an operation in September 2021.

Published - May 26, 2025 11:29 am IST