Security forces have launched a major offensive against Naxals in Gumla Lohardaga districts especially in Bulbul forest area. ASP Deepak Pandey along with CRPF Commandant Prabhat Kumar on Wednesday carried out air surveillance of the area and took stock of the situation. The security forces have surrounded the Naxalites from all sides.
Police, in a major offensive against LWE members, recovered arms and ammunition, pamphlets, handwritten notes, diary and cash. A search operation by CRPF’s CoBRA battalion, Jharkhand Jaguar and district police to nab Maoists has been underway in the area since February 8.
Bulbul forest is among few areas Maoists are left to hide where top Naxal leader Rabindra Ganjhu is mostly active. He has carpeted the forest area with landmines to keep civilians and security forces away.
In December last year in a landmine blast at the Dundru Chapal forest area in Lohardaga a villager Supal Turi died. Earlier, in the same forest area a jawan Duleshwar Paras had died in the landmine blast at Dundru on February 16 last year. In June last year, a villager had died after he accidentally landed upon a landmine at Bulbul forest area.
As security forces have intensified operation against LWE activists, a wanted Maoist Balak Ganjhu carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head was gunned down by security forces in a forested area on Wednesday. Balak Ganjhu was killed in an ongoing operation by security forces to flush out the squad of Maoist Commander Ravindra Ganjhu, who has a reward of Rs 20 lakh on his head.
According to sources, the Maoist squad is trying to evade the siege laid by the security forces in the forested area. There have been four encounters in the last eight days. The insurgents are constantly changing their position.
CRPF Cobra Battalion, Jharkhand Jaguar, Lohardaga Police along with Gumla Police and Latehar Police are conducting search operations in the forest areas. Due to security forces action Naxalites are changing their position and also being told that they are facing problems of eating and drinking in the forests. Many hardcore Naxals including regional commander Ravindra Ganjhu, zonal commander Chhotu Kherwar, zonal commander Balram Oraon and sub zonal commander Ranthu Bhagat are active in the area.