Huge cache of arms, ammunition recovered in anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand’s Latehar

Security forces have been conducting operations against top Naxal and regional commander of CPI (Maoist) Ravinder Ganjhu, the prime accused in the IED blast on May 3, 2011, at Dhardharia village and Lohardaga district, in which six CRPF and five Jharkhand Police personnel were killed in action.

Latehar (Jharkhand) [India], February 19: Jharkhand Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), under Latehar police station, on Friday, recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition in an ongoing operation against Naxals.

According to Jharkhand police, the recovered materials include INSAS rifle, pistol, 1590 cartridges, 19 magazines, one hand grenade, 13 IEDs, cortex wires, 187 detonators, 13 batteries, and other materials.

Yesterday was the 11th day of continuous operation against top Naxal and regional commander of CPI (Maoist) Ravinder Ganjhu, his subordinates and cadre.

On the intelligence inputs, troops of CoBRA, CRPF, Jharkhand Jaguar and Lohardaga, and Latehar districts Police launched the operation on February 8. During the encounter with security forces, Naxals escaped taking advantage of the deep jungle.

Three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Cobra jawans sustained serious injuries in two IED blasts during a search operation.
The police further said the Naxal leader Ravinder Ghanjhu, Chhottu Singh Khairwar, Balram Oraon, Muneshwar Ghanjhu, and other Naxal leaders, including 30-40 cadres, have been noticed in the area of village Bulbul in Lohardaga district and were planning to attack development work in the area.

Ravinder Ghanjhu is extremely active in Lohardaga, Latehar, and Gumla districts, police said. He and his group members were involved in other incidents earlier. Ghanjhu was prime accused in the IED blast on May 3, 2011, at Dhardharia village and Lohardaga district, in which six CRPF and five Jharkhand Police personnel were killed in action.

On November 22, 2019, he committed another major incident at Lukaiya and Latehar in which four Jharkhand Jawans lost their lives.
He and his associates also executed various other recent incidents, including arson of various mining vehicles, civilian killing, IED blast and huge levy collection from local contractors and mining agents, the official said. The operation is still underway, police added. (ANI)