Jharkhand: Maoist with Rs 5 lakh bounty killed; CRPF jawan martyred in gunfight accorded emotional farewell
Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar led the tributes, laying a wreath on the mortal remains of the brave soldier.
In his address, the Governor said, 'The supreme sacrifice of Jawan Praneswar Koch will not go in vain. His courage during the anti-Maoist operation will always be remembered. Our heartfelt condolences to his family. It is because of brave soldiers like him that Maoist activity has declined in the state.'
He also expressed confidence that Maoism would be completely eradicated in the coming months.
Several top officials of the state government and police department paid homage to the martyr, including Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, Home Secretary Vandana Dadel, DGP Anurag Gupta, and IG Operations Dr Michael Raj S.
They laid floral tributes and observed a moment of silence in honour of the fallen soldier.
The encounter took place on Wednesday morning during a joint search operation by CoBRA and CRPF units, following Intelligence inputs about Maoist presence in the forest area of Gomia.
As the forces moved in, Maoists opened fire, prompting a retaliatory operation. In the gunfight, a Maoist commander, with a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was killed. The deceased has been identified as Kunwar Manjhi, also known as Sahdev Manjhi.
During the operation, CRPF jawan Praneswar Koch was martyred, and a local villager tragically lost his life in the crossfire between the Maoists and security personnel.
DGP Gupta, addressing the media, expressed sorrow over the loss of lives. He stated, 'We are deeply saddened by the martyrdom of our jawan and the death of a villager. However, it has been resolved that any Maoist who refuses to surrender will be dealt with decisively.'
Hailing from Kokrajhar district of Assam, Praneswar Koch was remembered by CRPF officials as a courageous and committed soldier who never wavered in the face of danger. 'He was known for his sense of responsibility and fearlessness,' an officer said.
His body will be sent to his native village in Assam, where he will be cremated with full state honours.
DGP Gupta further revealed that 22 Maoists have been killed in encounters so far this year.
'We continue to urge those still active to surrender. Many have already laid down arms. Under the Jharkhand government's surrender policy, those who choose to return to the mainstream are placed in open jails and provided with financial assistance, educational support for their children, and help with rehabilitation,' he said.
He emphasised that while the government welcomes those who renounce violence, it will respond firmly to those who continue to bear arms.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
11 minutes ago
- India.com
Rs 170000000000 loan fraud: Anil Ambani to appear before ED today in money laundering case
Rs 170000000000 crore loan fraud: Anil Ambani to appear before ED today in money laundering case Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani will reportedly appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged bank loan fraud worth crores of rupees against his group companies, official sources said on Friday. The federal probe agency, will record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) once he deposes, has also notified a Look Out Circular (LOC) against the 66-year-old businessman to stop him from travelling abroad, the sources said. What is the case? The summons come after the federal agency conducted searches at 35 premises of 50 companies and 25 people, including executives of his business group, last week. The searches, launched on July 24, went on for three days. Some executives of Ambani's group companies have been also been summoned over the next few days. The action pertains to alleged financial irregularities and collective loan 'diversion' pegged at more than Rs 17,000 crore by multiple group companies of Anil Ambani, including Reliance Infrastructure (R Infra). The agency found, on the basis of a Sebi report, that R Infra 'diverted' funds disguised as inter-corporate deposits (ICDs) to Reliance Group companies through a company named CLE. It is alleged that R Infra did not disclose CLE as its 'related party' to avoid approvals from shareholders and audit panels. What has Reliance responded? A Reliance Group spokesperson said in a statement that the allegation regarding alleged diversion of Rs 10,000 crore to an undisclosed party was a 10-year-old matter and the company had stated in its financial statements that its exposure was only around Rs 6,500 crore. Reliance Infrastructure had publicly disclosed this matter on February 9, 2025, nearly six months ago, the statement said. 'Through mandatory mediation proceedings conducted by a retired Supreme Court judge and the mediation award filed before the Hon'ble Bombay High Court, Reliance Infrastructure arrived at a settlement to recover its 100 per cent exposure of Rs 6,500 crore,' it said. The company added that Ambani was not on the board of R Infra since more than three years (March 2022). The ED is also looking at allegations of 'illegal' loan diversion of around Rs 3,000 crore, given by Yes Bank to the group companies of Ambani between 2017-2019. The ED, the sources said, has found that just before the loan was granted, Yes Bank promoters 'received' money in their concerns. The agency is investigating this nexus of 'bribe' and the loan. What is ED probing? The sources said the ED is also probing allegations of 'gross violations' in Yes Bank loan approvals to these companies, including charges such as back-dated credit approval memorandums and investments proposed without any due diligence/credit analysis in violation of the bank's credit policy. The loans are alleged to have been 'diverted' to many group companies and 'shell' (bogus) companies by the entities involved. The agency is also looking at some instances of loans given to entities with weak financials, a lack of proper documentation of loans and due diligence, borrowers having common addresses and common directors in their companies, etc., the sources said. The money laundering case stems from at least two CBI FIRs and reports shared by National Housing Bank, SEBI, National Financial Reporting Authority and Bank of Baroda with the ED, they had said. These reports, the sources said, indicate that there was a 'well-planned and thought after scheme' to divert or siphon off public money by cheating banks, shareholders, investors and other public institutions.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
11 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Tribunal orders ₹49.46 lakh compensation for motorcyclist's death
The tribunal in the order on August 2 noted the accident was a result of contributory negligence, assigning 75 per cent blame on the offending truck driver and 25 per cent to the deceased motorcyclist Press Trust of India Thane The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane has awarded a compensation of Rs 49.46 lakh to the parents of a 24-year-old IT engineer who died in a road accident in 2019. The tribunal, presided over by member RV Mohite, in the order on August 2 noted the accident was a result of contributory negligence, assigning 75 per cent blame on the offending truck driver and 25 per cent to the deceased motorcyclist. The claim petition was filed by parents of the deceased, Swapnil Suresh Gulvi. According to the petition, Gulvi was riding his motorcycle on January 11, 2019, on Ghodbunder Road in Maharashtra's Thane city where he attempted to overtake a bus from the right near a bus stop. The bus driver allegedly applied sudden brakes, causing the motorcycle to collide with it and the rider to fall. Subsequently, a truck coming from behind ran over the motorbike rider's head, leading to his death. The deceased was an IT engineer, earning Rs 30,000 per month. The truck owner and the bus owner remained ex-parte, while their respective insurers contested the claim. The tribunal absolved the bus driver of any negligence, saying there was nothing on record to show he suddenly applied brakes to stop the vehicle at the bus stop. It observed that both the deceased and the truck driver failed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles in front of them, leading to the accident. "As proper distance was neither maintained by the deceased nor by the driver of the offending truck, then whole negligence is on the part of rear vehicles, i.e, of the deceased and of the driver of offending vehicle in regard to the occurrence of the accident," the MACT said. It also noted the truck was moving at an excessive speed at the time of the accident. Based on the analysis, the tribunal assessed the negligence of the truck driver at 75 per cent and that of the deceased at 25 per cent. The MACT calculated the total compensation as Rs 65,94,700, including loss of future income, future prospects and non-pecuniary damages. After applying the 25 per cent deduction for the deceased's contributory negligence, the final award was set at Rs 49,46,025. The tribunal directed the truck owner and its insurer to jointly and severally pay the amount to the claimants with an annual interest of 9 per cent from the date of the petition.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
11 minutes ago
- Business Standard
$15,000 visa bond: US tightens rules for visitors from overstay countries
Soon, visitors to the US could be asked to pay bonds of up to $15,000. Starting August 20, 2025, the United States could start requiring bonds of up to $15,000 (Rs 13 lakh) for certain tourist and business visa applicants. The move is part of a pilot programme to discourage visitors from overstaying their visas, according to a government notice seen by Business Standard on Monday. Under this programme, US consular officers will be given the authority to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays or where screening and vetting information is considered inadequate. Which visas are affected and who decides? The programme applies to B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourist) visas. Consular officers will have discretion to impose bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, but the default expectation is $10,000, the notice said. These funds will be refunded if the traveller leaves the US within the permitted time. This initiative is linked to Executive Order 14159, 'Protecting The American People Against Invasion,' which directs the Departments of Treasury, State, and Homeland Security to establish a bond administration system under the Immigration and Nationality Act. A spokesperson for the State Department said countries will be identified based on 'high overstay rates, screening and vetting deficiencies, concerns regarding acquisition of citizenship by investment without a residency requirement, and foreign policy considerations.' The countries likely to be impacted While no formal list has been published yet, the notice mentioned that countries with high visa overstay rates, particularly in Africa and Asia, are under scrutiny. Nations previously targeted by Trump's travel ban—including Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar, and Yemen—are also likely candidates. Customs and Border Protection data for fiscal year 2023 showed that countries like Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo recorded high overstay rates. Additionally, 12,882 Indian nationals on leisure or business trips overstayed their visas in 2023, as per the US Entry/Exit Overstay Report. When does the programme start and how long will it run? The pilot programme will go into effect on August 20 and is expected to run for about a year. A similar attempt was made in November 2020 during the final months of Trump's first term but was never fully rolled out due to pandemic-related travel disruptions. Trump's immigration crackdown continues Former US President Donald Trump has consistently focused on tightening immigration controls. He issued a travel ban in June that restricted entry for citizens of 19 countries on national security grounds. These actions have already impacted travel trends—transatlantic airfares in May dropped to pre-pandemic levels, while travel from Canada and Mexico to the US fell 20% year-on-year. $250 visa integrity fee adds another layer Alongside the visa bond pilot, a $250 'visa integrity fee' will be introduced on October 1. This fee, passed as part of a spending package in July, will be charged to all non-immigrant visa applicants once their visa is approved. The U.S. Travel Association has voiced concerns, saying, 'If implemented, the U.S. will have one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world.' The group estimates that around 2,000 applicants from a handful of countries with low travel volume to the US will be affected by the bond programme. Key points to note • Bond amounts will be $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 per applicant, with $10,000 as the norm • effective August 20, for a duration of one year • bonds apply to B-1/B-2 visa holders from countries with high overstay rates or insufficient vetting • $250 visa integrity fee will be mandatory from October 1 for all non-immigrant visa applicants • bonds will be refunded if visitors comply with visa departure rules • around 12,882 Indian visitors overstayed in the US in 2023
