The one day Jharkhand bandh called by People’s liberation Front of India (PlFI) turned out to be effective in certain areas of the State with reports of clash between a team of CRPF-Khunti police and members of the banned outfit in Khunti district. The clash reportedly took place around 9 am in the morning. In the meantime, the team foiled the bid of blowing up a small bridge on NH 75(E).
As the day broke the Khunti police which had information of PlFI members’ meeting in Murhu police station area began search operations. The members of the banned outfit intercepted the team of CRPF and Khunti police, specially created for nabbing PlFI members, with gunfire between Binda and Japte. The team reportedly retaliated towards the direction of PlFI members and chased them inside the jungle where they had taken shelter. The extremists managed to flee the spot.
“We had specific inputs about the meeting. We were informed that the PlFI members will assemble to conduct a meeting. So we formed a joint team of CRPF and police,” said Khunti SP Anees Gupta.
Notably, during the search operation the team recovered a can bomb weighing 5 kg which was fitted under a small PCC bridge near Binda on NH 75(E) linking Ranchi to Chaibasa. The search operation also led to recovery of one pistol, two bullets and battery fitted with wire.
“Although they did not plan anything of great magnitude they had plans to execute small incidents,” added Gupta.
In another incident in Palamu’s Hariharganj, the PlFI members allegedly set ablaze one mobile tower in the wee hours on the day of the bandh. City’s road deserted looks as vehicles remained off the road for the entire day.
Interestingly, the bandh was ineffective in areas like Dhanbad were normal life was not affected by the bandh called by PlFI.