Police gun down PLFI leader near Mudlatoli village in rural Ranchi

RANCHI: An area commander of the banned People Liberation Front of India (PLFI) identified as Vishal Sharma was killed in an encounter with the police near Mudlatoli village under the Thakurgaon police station area of rural Ranchi on Monday night. Police have recovered two pistols, a hand grenade and a mobile phone from the spot.
Police said the encounter happened when an operation was carried out by a small action team (SAT) and the Jharkhand Jaguar following a tip-off about the presence of a PLFI squad in the Thakurgaon area to collect extortion money from a trader. As soon as the police team reached the spot, the PLFI members opened fire and despite several appeals, they refused to surrender.
The security team then retaliated leading to an exchange of fire for about half an hour during which Sharma was killed. The other extremists fled from the spot taking advantage of the forest and the darkness. Police subsequently conducted a search operation in the area.
Speaking to reporters, SSP (Ranchi) Kishore Kaushal said, "Sharma was a notorious extremist with around one dozen cases against him, including murder, and extortion among others. Of late, he was trying to increase his influence in Thakurgaon, Daladali, Nagri and nearby areas around Ranchi with the intention to extort money, particularly from the land dealers. He had recently fired at a house under the Ratu police station area, the video of which had gone viral."
A week ago, a police and extremists encounter had also taken place in the Budmu-Thakurgaon area. Police had recovered a rifle after the incident.