Security forces on Tuesday neutralised Tulsi Bhuiyan, 45, an area commander of the CPI (Maoist) organisation in a long and intermittent exchange of fire under Hussainabad police station limits of Palamu district.
According to an official communique released by Police Headquarters on May 26, at around 05:30 pm, when the security forces reached the forests of Naiya, Kemo and Pratapur and started moving forward, the Maoists started firing indiscriminately upon seeing the police force.
The forces retaliated in self-defence. After the encounter ended, the body of area commander Tulsi Bhuiya was recovered in the search operation.
Security forces recovered one SLR rifle with loaded magazine, one extra loaded magazine and bullet, one pitthu bag containing three Surf Excel soaps, one bathing soap, one charger, three empty packets of Sattu, one empty pouch of Eno and one of Electrol powder, one smartphone, one black keypad mobile (without SIM), one diary, one windowlia, Aadhar card and Ayushman card of Thegan Mian.
DIG, Palamu Range, YS Ramesh told the media persons that Tulsi had only two cases against him, but had enough of notoriety to extremism. Police recovered one SLR of his. Palamu SP Reeshma Ramesan said the slain Maoist was in civies which looked like battle fatigue.
IG of police Palamu zone Sunil Bhaskar termed this operation against the Maoists a result of well-meaning planning, coordination and concerted efforts of the multiple security forces.
Security forces were after Nitesh, the regional commander of the Maoists. His neutralisation would mean an epitaph of the Maoists here who sneak into Jharkhand's Palamu from Bihar.
However Palamu police have to wait for another situation in neutralizing Nitesh as he managed to escape when one of his cadre got felled by the multiple security forces.
Numerically security forces got less than what it had like long hours of intermittent exchange of fire, arid and desolate alien land and highly hostile landscape but the multiple security forces gained a high score over the Maoists who not only lost their Tulsi but their secret hide out they had so thought of its being invincible.
The security forces made the Maoists believe they are not safe in any corner nor they can be without loss of human and weapon and ammunition.