In a significant blow to Left-wing extremism, security forces have neutralized sixteen Maoists during a major gunfight in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district. The encounter, part of the ongoing Operation Megaburu, resulted in the death of a top CPI (Maoist) leader carrying a cumulative bounty exceeding ₹2.35 crore.
Operation Details and Key Casualties
The firefight erupted in the dense Saranda forest area, a known Maoist stronghold, following specific intelligence inputs. A joint operation by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police involved approximately 1,500 personnel from the elite CoBRA unit. Among the deceased were five women and several senior leaders of the banned outfit.
Elimination of High-Value Target
The most prominent casualty was Patiram Manjhi, widely known as Anal Da, a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist). His elimination marks a critical achievement for security forces. Anal Da, a resident of Giridih district active since 1987, was implicated in numerous violent incidents. These include the 2006 attack on a CISF camp in Bokaro that killed five personnel, the 2019 killing of five security personnel in Seraikela-Kharswan, and the theft of five tonnes of explosives in Odisha in May 2025.
The bounty on his head totaled ₹2.35 crore, comprising ₹1 crore from Jharkhand, ₹1.2 crore from Odisha, and ₹15 lakh from the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Government and Official Reactions
Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as a major breakthrough in the government's campaign to eradicate Naxalism. In a social media post, he stated, "Today, in West Singhbhum, the ongoing joint operation by CRPF and Jharkhand Police has achieved a major success in the campaign to make the region free of Naxals." He reiterated the government's resolve to end Naxalism by March 31, 2026, and appealed to remaining Maoists to surrender and join the mainstream.
CRPF Inspector General Saket Kumar Singh confirmed the recovery of bodies from the encounter site, noting that eleven have been identified. He emphasized that this operation resulted in the highest number of Maoist casualties in a single encounter in Jharkhand's history. Singh further revealed that, barring Misir Besra, all central committee members of CPI (Maoist) in the state have now been eliminated.
Other Notable Casualties
Another senior Maoist killed was Anmol alias Sushant, a member of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee. He was wanted in 149 cases and carried a reward of ₹90 lakh. Other slain cadres included regional committee member Amit Munda, sub-zonal committee members Pintu Lohar and Laljeet alias Lalu, and several area committee members.
Strategic Implications and Future Outlook
Inspector General Singh indicated that only around 60–65 Maoists remain active in Jharkhand, largely confined to the Singhbhum region. He described the current phase as "the last round of battle" and urged remaining cadres to surrender or face consequences. Senior CRPF officials, including Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh, had reviewed the security situation in Chaibasa earlier this week.
BJP leader and Jharkhand opposition leader Babulal Marandi praised the operation as a major success against "red terror," commending the courage and dedication of the security personnel involved.
Historical Context and Statistics
According to official data spanning from 2001 to 2025, security operations in Jharkhand have led to the arrest of over 11,000 Maoists, the killing of approximately 250, and the surrender of more than 350. Operation Megaburu represents a continued intensification of efforts to dismantle the Maoist infrastructure in one of India's most affected regions.
The successful neutralization of a high-value target like Anal Da, coupled with the significant reduction in Maoist cadre strength, underscores the effectiveness of coordinated security strategies. As the government pushes towards its deadline to eliminate Naxalism, such operations are pivotal in restoring peace and stability to the tribal-dominated areas of Jharkhand.
