Top Maoist commander Manish Yadav killed in Jharkhand encounter
Published on May 26, 2025
By IANS
- LATEHAR
(JHARKHAND) — CPI (Maoist) commander Manish Yadav, carrying
a bounty of Rs 5 lakh, was killed in an encounter with police and security
forces in the forests of Latehar district, Jharkhand, officials said on Monday.
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- Another top Maoist, Kundan Kharwar, who carried a reward
of Rs 10 lakh, was arrested during the operation.
-
- The encounter took place in the Dauna and Karamkhar forest
area under the Netarhat police station limits and lasted from late Sunday night
to early Monday morning.
-
- According to Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav, police had received
intelligence inputs about the movement of armed Maoist squads in the region.
-
- Acting on this, a joint team of district police and
security personnel launched a search operation late Sunday night.
-
- As the team advanced, Maoists opened fire. Security
forces retaliated, leading to a fierce gun battle that continued intermittently
for nearly three hours. After the firing ceased, the body of a slain Naxalite
was recovered, later identified as Manish Yadav.
-
- During the combing operation, Kundan Kharwar, another
senior Maoist with a Rs 10 lakh bounty, was apprehended. Several weapons were
also seized from the encounter site.
-
- Police said the Maoist group had gathered in the forest
to plan a major attack.
-
- This marks the second major success for Latehar Police in
their ongoing anti-Maoist operations within the past three days.
-
- On May 24, in an encounter in the Ichwar forest, two
Maoists -- Pappu Lohara (Rs 10 lakh bounty) and Prabhat Lohara (Rs 5 lakh
bounty) -- were gunned down, and another injured rebel was captured.
-
- These militants were reportedly affiliated with the
banned outfit Jharkhand Sangharsh Mukti Morcha.
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- Earlier, on April 21, eight Maoists, including commander
Prayag Manjhi -- who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore -- were killed in an
encounter with police and security forces in the Lugu Hills of Bokaro district.
