Chaibasa (Jharkhand): Security forces achieved a major breakthrough in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district after gunning down a top Maoist carrying a reward of ₹10 lakh. The slain rebel, identified as Amit Hansda alias Aptan, was killed during an encounter in the Saranda forest under Goilkera police station limits.
Officials confirmed that Hansda was involved in several violent incidents and was on the most-wanted list of Maoist leaders in the region. From the encounter site, security forces recovered an SLR rifle, explosives, and other weapons. Following the operation, an extensive search has been launched to track down other Maoist hideouts in the forested belt.
The encounter comes just days after a deadly gun battle in Palamu district, where two policemen — Santan Kumar and Sunil Ram — were martyred and another critically injured in an attack by members of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC). That clash erupted on September 3, when security forces attempted to intercept wanted zonal commander Shashikant Ganju, also carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh.
The killing of Hansda is being seen as a significant response by security agencies to the loss of the two policemen, marking a decisive blow to Maoist networks in Jharkhand’s dense Saranda forests.
