Kiriburu: Has top Maoist Commander Misir Besra alias Bhaskar alias Sunirmal alias Sagar and nearly 44 of his comrades been trapped by security forces in the Saranda forests between the Chotanagra and Kiriburu police stations in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand?
Nearly 1,500 security personnel, including those from the CRPF’s CoBRA units, Jharkhand Jaguars and district police forces, are involved in Operation Megaburu that is aimed towards ending Left Wing Extremism in Jharkhand. Besra, a politburo member of the CPI (Maoist) is said to be the last leader of that stature operating in the state.
Over the last two days, 17 Maoists, including central committee member Anal Da have been neutralised by the security forces. Anal carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head.
According to Daily Jagran, he operation is being directed by CRPF IG Saket Kumar Singh, Jharkhand Police IG Operations Dr Michael Raj S, Jharkhand Jaguar IG Anoop Birthare, and DIG Indrajit Mahatha.
As per sources in the Intelligence Bureau and Special Branch, the remaining Naxalites, numbering around 45, are now surrounded on the border between the Chotanagra and Kiriburu police station areas.
They are led by Besra, a resident of Madandih village in the Pirtand police station area of Giridih district.
Besra is said to be the only surving leader of his stature of the outlawed party in the state. Among those surrounded is his second in command, Asim Mandal alias Akash alias Timir, who also carries a reward of Rs 1 crore, it has been reported.
Security forces are proceeding with caution as it has come to be known that the Maoists have created a cordon of IEDs around themselves to inflict damage. All Maoists are armed with AK-47s, INSAS rifles, SLRs, and .303s.
Officials believe that weapons and ammunition are limited as external supplies have stopped. The Maoists are fighting their battle with whatever resources they have. There are also reports that many of the remaining Maoists are preparing to surrender.
Officials have said that the Tonto and Goilkera police station areas of West Singhbhum – once considered the stronghold of Maoists, are now free of them. The Sarajamburu area of the Tonto police station served as a safe haven for Maoists for a long time. The Maoists have fled from these areas and are now in the Chotanagra and Kiriburu police station areas.
Eight temporary camps have been set up by the security forces in those areas to surround the Maoists.
