Gumla: Three hardcore Maoists were gunned down in an encounter that broke out between a joint team of security forces and the extremists in Gumla district of Jharkhand, police said on July 26.
The operation was launched after the police received credible intel about the presence of Maoists in the forest area under the jurisdiction of Ghaghra police station. A joint team comprising of personnel from the district police and Jharkhand Jaguar was subsequently dispatched to the location.
An exchange of fire broke out between the joint team and the Naxals in the wee hours of Saturday after the latter opened indiscriminate fire on the security personnel. In the retaliatory firing by the forces three hardcore Maoists were killed.
All the Maoists killed in the encounter were members of Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad [JJMP], a splinter group of the CPI [Maoist].
#Jharkhand: गुमला जिले के घाघरा थाना क्षेत्र में आज सवेरे पुलिस से मुठभेड़ में प्रतिबंधित नक्सली संगठन #JJMP के तीन सदस्य मारे गए।
पुलिस ने तीनों नक्सलियों के शव बरामद कर लिए हैं। घटनास्थल से एक एके-47 और दो इंसास राइफलें भी बरामद की गई हैं।
— आकाशवाणी समाचार (@AIRNewsHindi) July 26, 2025
An AK-47 and two INSAS rifles have been recovered from the spot while an intensive search operation in the area is still underway. The development has been confirmed by the senior officials of the police and more details about the gunfight is still awaited.
JJMP supremo gunned down in encounter
In a notable success, security personnel on May 24 had gunned down Pappu Lohra, chief of the JJMP. Lohra was neutralised along with a sub zonal commander in a gunfight extending for hours.
A seasoned Maoist of the breakaway faction, Lohra was named in around 100 cases and carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head.
He was also named in a case related to murder of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deputy commandant. The Police also recovered arms and ammunition from the site of the gunfight.
Notably, a hardcore Maoist named in around 50 cases had also surrendered before the police in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on July 15.
The surrendered Naxal Lovlesh Ganjhu alias Lavkesh Ganjhu was active as a sub zonal commander of JJMP. He was involved in several encounters and facing 50 cases against him lodged in Latehar and other nearby districts. Ganjhu was carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakh.
It must be noted that the security forces and the police have intensified Anti-Maoist campaign in the state of Jharkhand.
Earlier On July 16 security forces neutralised two hardcore Maoists in an encounter in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district. A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was also martyred in the gunfight.
The gun battle took place in Birhordera forest area at around 6AM in the morning, resulting in neutralization of two Maoists including a sub-zonal commander of outlawed CPI[Maoist] Sahdeo Manjhi, carrying a bounty of Ra 5 lakh. The security team had also recovered an AK-47 rifle from the spot.
