A CPI (Maoist) area commander was killed in an exchange of fire with police force under Jori police station area in Chatra district early on Friday morning. Police informed that the deceased has been identified as Maoist area commander Chander Singh Bhokta who was part of a squad led by zonal commander Alok.
The squad is active on the Chatra, Hazaribagh and Gaya (Bihar) borders. Police have recovered an INSAS rifle and literature from the encounter site. “The INSAS rifle was looted from Bihar police in 2013,” said IG (Operations) Asish Batra.
Sources informed that a team comprising CoBRA, CRPF, small action team had launched a search operation after receiving a tip of that Maoists led by Indal Ganjhu, Alok and Gautam Paswan were planning to indulge in violence. As the police team neared the extremists the latter started firing.
There was a heavy exchange of fire from both sides following which the extremists fled away.
The police carried out a massive search operation which continued for almost the entire day to look for dead or injured extremists.
It may be noted here that police suspect that more than one extremist were hit by hit police bullet.
Senior police officials including SP Chatra and Hazaribag DIG Pankaj Kamboj also reached the spot and supervised the operations. The officials have appealed to extremists to surrender or else they would be either arrested or killed.