Chaibasa, Jan 24: Two more Maoists were killed during the ongoing Mega-buru anti-Naxal operation in the dense Saranda forest of West Singhbhum district, police officials confirmed. With these latest casualties, the total number of Maoists neutralized in the past 36 hours has climbed to 17.


Among those killed was top CPI (Maoist) leader Pati Ram Majhi, alias Anal Da, who carried a Rs 1-crore bounty.


A police official said Friday’s action was a continuation of Thursday’s operation.


According to police sources, the operation—launched earlier this week—aims to dismantle Maoist strongholds in the mineral-rich Saranda region, which has long been considered a strategic base for insurgents.


Security forces have intensified combing operations, backed by intelligence inputs, to flush out armed cadres hiding in the forested terrain.


Senior officials stated that the offensive has dealt a significant blow to Maoist activities in the district.


Arms, ammunition, and other materials have reportedly been recovered from the encounter sites, though details are yet to be officially disclosed.


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The Mega-buru operation is part of a larger crackdown across Jharkhand, where Maoist insurgency has posed challenges to law enforcement and development initiatives. Authorities emphasized that the drive will continue until the area is fully secured and insurgent networks are dismantled.