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India Today
25-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Why Lugu Hills victory is a crucial point in final stretch of battle against Maoists
As the ashen light filtered through trees before dawn on April 21, a joint contingent of the Jharkhand police and CoBRA commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) manoeuvred silently through the tangled undergrowth of Lugu had indicated the presence of a substantial group of Maoist cadre deep within the forest, and at first light, the security forces struck, catching the Maoists off-guard. By the time the sun had fully risen over the canopy, eight Maoists lay dead, among them Prayag Manjhi, better known to the movement as Vivek da, a Central Committee member with a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his precision of the raid—codenamed 'Dakabeda'—was a reflection of months of painstaking surveillance and coordination between local police units and CoBRA, who are specialists in jungle warfare. Acting on 'actionable intelligence', as officers described it, the teams entered the hostile terrain at approximately 05:30 hrs. Their objective: to neutralise senior Maoist leaders and seize any weapons caches that might reveal the strength of the insurgents' operation was meticulously planned. The police had pin-pointed information on exactly who they were targeting and where they had holed up. This is the first time in the state's history that a Central Committee member of the Maoists, carrying such a high bounty, has been eliminated in a single operation. This underlines the strategic importance of Vivek da's death to the broader counter-insurgency campaign. Vivek da's notoriety within the Maoist hierarchy stemmed from his reputed role in orchestrating several high-profile ambushes against security forces over the past two years. Local police officials blame him for planning attacks that left more than a dozen personnel dead in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. His neutralisation, according to Jharkhand police, will deal a significant blow to the operational cohesion of the insurgent network in eastern gun battle extended for over an hour before the Maoists, taken by surprise, were forced into retreat. When the last echoes of gunfire faded, security personnel swept the site, recovering a formidable array of weaponry: one AK-series assault rifle, one self-loading rifle (SLR), three INSAS rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and eight country-made Bharmar firearms. Such an arsenal, officials said, indicated both the insurgents' preparedness for protracted guerrilla operations and their capacity to procure or manufacture arms in remote forest were no casualties among the security forces. The success, according to officers, was due in large part to the element of surprise, rigorous training and the surgical execution of the assault plan. 'This is a decisive strike against Left Wing Extremism (LWE),' declared inspector general of police Amol Vinukant Homkar. 'It demonstrates our unwavering commitment to eradicating Naxalism and restoring the rule of law in every corner of Jharkhand.'The encounter forms part of a nationwide offensive under which the central government aims to eliminate LWE by March 2026. In a post on X, dated April 1, Union home minister Amit Shah highlighted that the number of districts most affected by LWE had halved to six. He added that 'districts of concern' have fallen from nine to six while other LWE-affected districts have decreased from 17 to just six. This, he asserted, reflects the success of combined security operations and targeted development analysts caution that military victories alone will not end the insurgency. The Maoists have long tapped into grievances over land rights, displacement and poverty among indigenous and other marginalised groups. Their guerrilla tactics—ambushes, improvised explosive devices and assassinations—remain a potent threat in forested and mineral-rich terrain where state presence has historically been the families of the slain insurgents, the encounter is a reminder of a conflict that has wrought tragedy on both sides. The government has for years offered rehabilitation and surrender schemes, including vocational training and financial assistance, to Maoist cadre who lay down arms. Yet activists argue that such measures must be expanded and coupled with genuine dialogue on land and labour rights, if the cycle of violence is to be security forces continue combing operations in and around the encounter site, the broader community looks on with a mixture of relief and apprehension. For many villagers, the presence of armed cadre has meant extortion, forced recruitment and the constant fear of reprisals. The removal of key leaders like Vivek da may well disrupt the insurgents' ability to coordinate attacks and recruit new members, but it may also prompt desperate last-ditch efforts by remaining cadre to demonstrate their encounter in Lugu Hills is, for now, a significant chapter in India's protracted struggle against LWE. But a truly historic victory will require not only further eliminations of insurgent leadership but also the forging of a social contract that addresses the deep-rooted inequalities on which the Maoists have long thrived. Only then, advocates say, can the promise of peace and development in states like Jharkhand be fully to India Today MagazineMust Watch
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Happened first time': Jharkhand's top official after security forces eliminate 8 Naxals, including high-ranking CCM leader
After eight Naxals were gunned down in an encounter in Jharkhand's Bokaro, highlighting the significance of the action, a top official stated that this happened for the first time in the history of Jharkhand that security forces have successfully eliminated a Naxal leader of Central Committee Member (CCM) rank, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore. Addressing mediapersons, Sanjay Anandrao Lathkar , Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Jharkhand, informed that the operation was started at around 5.30 am on Monday, in which eight naxals were neutralised and 14 weapons were recovered. "Operation was started last 5:30 am, security forces had a face-off with naxals and 8 naxals were killed in the encounter. 14 weapons were recovered through this is still is the first time in the history of Jharkhand, security forces were successful in eliminating a naxal leader of CCM rank and with a bounty of Rs one crore..." the official said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Neurologist Say: Most People Ignore What This Plant Can Do gardenadvice Read More Undo In a significant blow to Naxalism, three high-profile wanted leaders of the banned outfit, including one carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, among eight members, were neutralised on Monday in a joint operation in Jharkhand's Bokaro district. Among the eight naxals neutralized in the operation were three high-profile individuals with bounties of Rs 1 crore, Rs 25 lakh, and Rs 10 lakh, respectively. Live Events Prayag Manjhi alias Vivek had a bounty of Rs 1 crore, Arvind Yadav carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh, and Sahebram Manjhi, also known as Rahul Manjhi, had a bounty of Rs 10 lakh. The remaining naxals have been identified as Mahesh Manjhi alias Mota, Talu, Raju Manjhi, Gangaram, and Mahesh. Prayag Manjhi (60) was the Central Committee Member (CCM) of the Eastern Regional Bureau of Naxals. The bodies of the Naxals were recovered following an exchange of fire between the rebel group and the 209 Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (Cobra) unit of the Central Reserve Police Force and the state police force. The exchange of fire began around 5.30 am in the Lugu hills under the Lalpania area of Bokaro. As per the CRPF, the troops recovered a cache of arms from the site, including one AK-series rifle, one Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), three INSAS rifles, one pistol, and eight country-made Bharmar rifles. "No injuries or casualties have been reported among the security personnel involved in the operation," the CRPF said in a statement. "The gunfire has ceased, and a thorough search operation is currently underway in the area to ensure complete sanitisation and to trace any remaining insurgents or hidden weaponry," added the CRPF, India's largest Central Armed Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, mandated to ensure internal security in its area of jurisdiction. Officials said that the search was going on and the operation was part of an intensified campaign by security forces to dismantle Naxalite activities in the region. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the security forces for the operation through a post on 'X' handle. "Our march to eliminate Naxalism continues unabated. Today, security forces achieved another significant success in the ongoing operation to uproot Naxalism. In an encounter at Lugu Hills in Bokaro, Jharkhand, 8 Maoists were neutralised, including a top-level naxal leader, Vivek, who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore, and two other notorious Naxalites. The operation is being continued. Applaud our security forces," the Home Minister posted on 'X'. The fresh operation resulted in the killing of a total of 93 Naxals neutralised this year so far in a joint operation involving the CRPF. In the last five years, from 2020 to 2024, a total of 178 Naxals have been neutralised in such joint operations in which the CRPF was involved. Of them, a maximum of 104 Naxals were neutralised in 2024, 15 in 2023, 12 in 2022, 15 in 2021, and 32 in 2020. The majority of the Naxals were neutralised in Chhattisgarh.
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
8 Maoists, including one with Rs 1cr bounty, killed in Jharkhand encounter
Ranchi/New Delhi: Eight Maoists, including a top-rung central committee member of the extremists carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, were killed in an encounter with CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and police in Bokaro district of Jharkhand on Monday, officials said. The exchange of fire started around 5.30 am in Lugu Hills of Lalpania area of the district, they said. Those killed include central committee member of the extremist outfit Prayag Manjhi alias Vivek, special area committee member Arvind Yadav alias Avinash, zonal committee member Sahebram Manjhi alias Rahul Manjhi, Mahesh Manjhi alias Mota, Talu, Ranju Manjhi, Gangaram and Mahesh.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Naxal with Rs 1 cr reward among eight killed in Jharkhand
New Delhi: In a major blow to the banned CPI (Maoist), security forces gunned down eight Naxals-including three high-profile leaders-in a fierce encounter in Jharkhand's Bokaro district on Monday. Among those killed was Prayag Manjhi alias Vivek, a Central Committee Member of the Maoists' Eastern Regional Bureau and a key strategist, who carried a reward of ₹1 crore. Two other senior operatives-Arvind Yadav (₹25 lakh bounty) and Sahebram Manjhi alias Rahul Manjhi (₹10 lakh)-were also neutralized. The encounter began around 5:30 am in the Lugu Hills under the Lalpania area during a joint operation by the CRPF's elite CoBRA unit and Jharkhand Police. According to officials, the operation led to the recovery of a significant weapons cache, including an AK-series rifle, an SLR, three INSAS rifles, a pistol, and eight country-made Bharmar rifles. "No injuries or casualties were reported among the security personnel," the CRPF said. A search operation is still underway to ensure the area is fully cleared of any remaining insurgents or hidden arms. Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta confirmed the identities of the deceased, which also include Mahesh Manjhi alias Mota, Talu, Raju Manjhi, and Gangaram. Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the forces on social media platform X, stating, "Our march to eliminate Naxalism continues unabated. In an encounter at Lugu Hills, 8 Maoists were neutralised, including a top-level leader, Vivek... Applaud our security forces." So far in 2025, 93 Naxals have been neutralized in joint operations involving the CRPF. From 2020 to 2024, a total of 178 Naxals were killed in similar operations, with a record 104 killed in 2024-most of them in Chhattisgarh. (With agency inputs)
