Security forces on Wednesday killed a Maoist who rewarded Rs 5 lakh during a forest firing in Bokaro district of Jharkhand, in which a cobra jawan and an unknown person were also left dead.
The police had earlier claimed that the body of the last person found in civilian clothes was a Maoist. He later said that his identity has not been revealed.
Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta said that Maoist Kunwar Manjhi, who was killed during the gunfight, was a resident of Bokaro, who took a reward of Rs 5 lakh and was wanted in more than two dozen cases.
Of these, twenty -one cases were registered in Bokaro and seven in Hazribagh, police records.
He was also involved in firing with the police on 21 April.
Cobra 209 Battalion, Jawan of Praneshwar Coach, were seriously injured in operation at Birhorda under the limits of Gomia Police Station and later succumbed due to injuries.
A joint search campaign by Cobra -209 and District Police was running in the area to locate other suspected Maoists.
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The DGP said the joint combing operation began on Wednesday morning. Around 6 o’clock, he said, the forces came face to face with the Maoists, which led to the exchange of fire.
A police statement said that the top CPI (Maoist) leaders, including Sahadeva Soren (member of a central committee) and Birsen (member of a special sector committee), were suspected of planning a major attack in the area.
“The second body, which is found in a citizen dress, remains unknown,” said the DGP.
The DGP said that the coach, the killed cobra jawan, was from Kokrajhar in Assam. Assam Chief Minister Hemant Biswa Sarma paid tribute to him on X.
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An AK-47 assault rifle and a magazine with ammunition were recovered from the site with other daily use items.
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