Bokaro, Apr 21: At least eight Maoists, including senior commander Prayag Manjhi -- who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head -- were killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in the Lugu hill area of Lalpania in Bokaro district, officials said. The gun battle began around 5.30 a.m. on Monday and was still underway, with intermittent firing reported from both sides.

Officials said the number of casualties could rise further. One of those killed was identified as Prayag Manjhi, a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist). Known by multiple aliases -- Vivek Da, Phuchna, Nago Manjhi, and Karan Da -- he was active in the Parasnath hills and surrounding areas of Giridih over the past few months. Manjhi, originally a resident of Dalbudha in Tundi (Dhanbad district), was a key Maoist figure wanted in over 100 incidents across Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. In Giridih district alone, he was wanted in more than 50 cases.

An official statement from the CRPF released on Monday morning initially confirmed the killing of four Maoists. The number has since increased to eight. The earlier statement said: "The Central Reserve Police Force, in a joint operation with the state police, killed four Maoists in an encounter in the Lugu hills of Bokaro district this morning. One SLR and one INSAS rifle have been recovered. No injuries to security personnel have been reported so far. Intermittent firing continues."

The joint team, comprising personnel from the CRPF’s 209 Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and Jharkhand Police, had launched a search operation in the forested foothills of Lalpania police station area when they came under fire from Maoists. The forces retaliated, leading to the gunfight which is still going on. So far this year, 13 Maoists have been killed in encounters with security forces in Jharkhand.

Police have set a target to make the state completely Maoist-free by the end of 2025. According to Jharkhand Police data, 244 Maoists have been arrested this year, while nine were killed in encounters prior to this operation. Additionally, 24 Maoists -- including four zonal commanders, one sub-general commander, and three area commanders -- have surrendered and joined the mainstream of society.

(IANS)