Ranchi: Top Maoist commander Tulsi Bhuiyan was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Palamu district of Jharkhand on Tuesday. The fierce encounter that began on Monday night in the Hussainabad subdivision of the district continued till Tuesday, officials said.
An SLR rifle was recovered from the encounter site. Officials believe that several other Maoists may have been killed or injured in the encounter. Security personnel have launched a massive search operation across the area. Senior officials, including Palamu Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishma Rameshan and top CRPF officers, are present at the spot.
The operation was launched based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoist commander Nitesh — who carries a reward of Rs 15 lakh — and his squad in Sitachuan, a forested area on the border of Mohammadganj and Haidernagar police station limits. Sanjay Godram, another Maoist with a bounty of Rs 10 lakh, is also believed to be part of that group.
As police and security forces closed in on the location, Maoists opened fire, prompting the forces to retaliate. This encounter comes a day after a similar operation in Netarhat police station area of neighbouring Latehar district, where Maoist commander Manish Yadav, who carried a Rs 5 lakh bounty on his head, was killed.
Another Maoist, Kundan Kharwar, with a bounty of Rs 10 lakh, was arrested during that operation.
On May 24, in an encounter in Ichwar forest of Latehar, Maoists Pappu Lohara (Rs 10 lakh reward) and Prabhat Ganjhu (Rs 5 lakh reward) were killed. An injured Maoist was arrested.
Earlier, on April 21, eight Maoists, including commander Prayag Manjhi – who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore – were killed in a major operation by security forces in the Lugu Hill area of Lalpania in Bokaro district of Jharkhand.
