48 Maoists relent in anti-Red ops in Kolhan div

Jamshedpur: As many as 48 rebels have either surrendered or have been arrested in combing operations or killed in encounters across the three districts of Kolhan division in the last seven months, police said on Monday. Most of the aforementioned rebels belong to the banned outfit, CPI (Maoist).
A major chunk of the 48 Maoists hail from West Singhbhum district, which recorded 32 arrests and six casualties between January and July 25. West Singhbhum SP Indrajeet Mahata said, “In the wake of the increased search and combing operations in the district, 32 extremists belonging to the CPI Maoist and its splinter group PLFI have been arrested.” He added, “This year, 12 encounters have taken place in the district so far, in which six — including three women activists of CPI (Maoist) — were found dead.”
In the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district, the combing operation against the ultras has resulted in the arrest of four naxalites and surrender of two so far. All six are members of the dreaded fugitive zonal commander Maharaj Parmanik’s squad.
In January, Soyana Singh Sardar alias Motu and Mangal Singh Topno alias Lalu were killed. Both were accused in the June 14, 2019 ambush of a patrolling party in Kukru under Tiruldih police station area in which five Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) jawans died. On June 4, two other accused in the case — area commander Rakesh Munda alias Sukhram Munda and his girlfriend Chandni alias Budhni Sardar — surrendered before the police. Soma Sardar and Umesh Munda — who are also accused in the case — were arrested from two different areas under Kharsawan police station limits on July 12.
Seraikela Kharsawan SP Mohamed Arshi, who visited the Maoist den in Kukru a few days ago to oversee the operation against the left-wing extremists, made it a point to meet the local villagers and enquire about their well-being. The SP said that the welfare of the villagers and development of the hamlet are vital to curb extremism.
The East Singhbhum district witnessed the arrest of two fugitive Maoists — Subhash Munda was nabbed from Galudih on July 7 and Penu Birhor alias Manik Birhor was picked up from Chotabanki under MGM police station area on July 9.
Munda was active in Ghatshila sub-division and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head while Birhor was an active member of the Akash Mandal squad.
The district also saw the surrender of a rebel couple. Soban Mardi and his wife Urmila Malgandi surrendered at the Jamshedpur court on July 13. They had been absconding for the past 13 years.
Several wanted Naxalites namely, Maharaj Parmanik, Akash Mandal, Bela Sarkar, Biren Singh, Ram Prasad Mardi, Misir Besra and Ajay Mahato, among 20 others, are yet to be arrested.