The two sub-zonal commanders, Shivlal Yadav and Shravan Yadav, both residents of Latehar, carried rewards of Rs 5 lakh each. (Representational)
Five Maoists, including two sub-zonal commanders of CPI (Maoists), were killed in an encounter with the security forces in a forest area under Herhanj police station area of Latehar district on Wednesday morning. The two sub-zonal commanders, Shivlal Yadav and Shravan Yadav, both residents of Latehar, carried rewards of Rs 5 lakh each. The identities of the other three are being established.
The police have recovered three AK-47 rifles, one INSAS and one .303 rifle, besides cartridges and other material from the spot. According to the police, the encounter started around 7.15 am and continued till 8.30 am on the border of Bargaon and Kedu villages in a densely forested area. The district police, Jharkhand Jaguar and CRPF’s 11th battalion took part in the encounter.
Police officials said that Shravan’s squad has been a regular menace in Latehar and surrounding areas. His squad was responsible for many Maoist incidents, including blowing up of Newari panchayat building in Latehar in February 2016. Besides, on being denied levy, his team also used to terrorise workers and contractors involved in executing government infrastructure projects.
The members of his squad were also involved in the 2013 Katia encounter in which the Maoists had planted bombs inside dead security personnel’s bodies. However, over the last couple of years, the strength of his squad was getting depleted with arrest of many of his associates.
“The Maoist and splinter groups are on their way to being finished. We have arrested many of them; while several of them have surrendered. Also, several of them have been killed in encounters,” said a senior police
officer.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who was at Betla National Park in Latehar to review the development programmes in the Maoist-affected areas, directed officials to ensure that self-employment opportunities in these villages were developed, in consultation with the local population.