Gumla, Jharkhand | July 27 —
In a fierce exchange of fire deep within the Ghaghra forests of Jharkhand’s Gumla district, three dreaded Naxalites were neutralized by security forces in a high-stakes encounter early Saturday morning. Acting on precise intelligence, elite commandos from Jharkhand Jaguar and Gumla Police launched a surprise operation to thwart a major planned assault.
According to sources, the slain militants belonged to the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) — a splinter outfit of the CPI (Maoist) known for its brutality and extortion rackets. Intelligence agencies had intercepted chatter suggesting a planned ambush on security camps in the region.
What followed was a fierce gunfight in the dense, shadowy terrain, with bullets piercing the silence of dawn. Several rounds were exchanged in a standoff that lasted nearly an hour, officials said.
“Three heavily armed Naxals were killed. The group was planning a large-scale strike. Their plan has been crushed,” said IG (Operations) Michael S Raj, confirming that the operation is still ongoing.
From the scene, security personnel recovered one AK-47 rifle and two INSAS rifles, hinting at the firepower the Naxals were preparing to unleash. The seizure has averted what could have been a devastating attack on state forces.
Helicopters and reinforcements have since been deployed in the area, as security forces continue combing operations to hunt down any remaining militants who may have fled the scene.
This marks another major blow to Naxalite insurgency in Jharkhand, where forces have intensified counterinsurgency sweeps in red corridor zones over the past year. Officials say such swift strikes have disrupted the operational backbone of groups like JJMP and CPI-Maoist.
As smoke clears over Ghaghra’s forested hills, the message from Jharkhand’s forces is loud and clear: “Terror will not go unanswered.”
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