Top Naxalite Commander Killed in Latehar Encounter, Major Blow to CPI (Maoist)
The joint anti-insurgency operation, conducted by central and state forces, also led to the arrest of another senior Maoist leader carrying a ₹10 lakh reward.
Latehar: In a significant success for security forces in Jharkhand, a top Naxalite commander with a bounty of ₹5 lakh was killed during a fierce gun battle in Latehar district. The joint anti-insurgency operation, conducted by central and state forces, also led to the arrest of another senior Maoist leader carrying a ₹10 lakh reward.
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Intense Encounter in Dense Forest
The encounter unfolded late Sunday night and continued into the early hours of Monday in the forested terrain between Karamkhar and Dhowna villages under the Mahuadanr police station limits. Acting on precise intelligence inputs, a coordinated team comprising the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit, Jharkhand Jaguar, and the district police launched an offensive targeting a group of armed Maoists.
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Manish Yadav: A Decade-Long Menace Neutralized
The slain Naxalite was identified as Manish Yadav, a native of Gaya district in Bihar. Security officials confirmed that Yadav had been active in the Maoist stronghold of Budha Pahad for over a decade and was a known hardliner within the CPI (Maoist) ranks. Over his near two-decade career, he was involved in more than 50 armed operations.
Yadav was also a close aide and former personal bodyguard of top Maoist politburo member Dev Kumar Singh alias Arvind, who once carried a bounty of ₹1 crore before being killed in a similar security operation.
Arrest of Area Commander with ₹10 Lakh Bounty
In addition to Yadav’s death, the forces succeeded in arresting another major insurgent figure—Kundan Kherwar—an area commander with a ₹10 lakh reward on his head. His capture is expected to provide valuable intelligence on Maoist operations across Bihar and Jharkhand.
Cache of Weapons Recovered
Following the encounter, security personnel recovered a significant cache of arms, including two X-95 Israeli assault rifles, along with other firearms and ammunition. These weapons are believed to have been used in several deadly ambushes on security forces.
Ties to Notorious Attacks
Manish Yadav had a notorious record, including his alleged role in the Katia encounter in Latehar, where 13 security personnel were ambushed and IEDs were planted inside the bodies of the slain jawans. He was also linked to the Polpol attack in Garhwa, which claimed six lives.
Sustained Offensive Against Maoist Leadership
This encounter is part of an ongoing and intensified crackdown on Maoist elements in Jharkhand. Just two days earlier, security forces gunned down Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJM) chief Pappu Lohra and another commander, Prabhat Ganjhu, in a separate operation in Latehar.
The recent string of successful operations signals a renewed determination by security agencies to dismantle the Maoist leadership structure and restore peace in the insurgency-hit regions of Jharkhand.
