Chaibasa: A day after five Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, Director General of Police Ajay Kumar Singh on Tuesday warned the red rebels to join the mainstream of society or face the consequences.
The DGP and several other senior officers visited the Maoist-affected district during the day to boost the morale of security personnel who had taken part in the operation on Monday.
Addressing a function, Singh warned the Maoists to give up arms under Jharkhand's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy to lead a normal life or get neutralized.
In Monday’s encounter that took place near Lipunga, within Gua police station limits, approximately 200 km from Ranchi, five red rebels, including two women, were shot dead. Police also recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from the spot.
Describing the achievement as "significant", the DGP said that the police, CRPF and other state forces have been carrying out anti-Maoist operations for a long time and succeeded to a great extent in containing the Left Wing Extremism.
Several senior leaders of the proscribed CPI(Maoist) were either killed or surrendered, he said adding that the campaign against them will continue in West Singhbhum till extremism ends.
Hailing Superintendent of Police (West Singhbhum) Ashutosh Shekhar and his team, Singh honoured the security personnel for their achievement.
Since 2022 till date, 5,972 campaigns against the outlawed People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) and CPI (Maoist) were carried out in West Singhbhum. While six ultras were killed during the period, 169 were arrested, police sources said.
Besides, the security forces seized 53 firearms, defused 409 improvised explosive devices, destroyed 167 spike holes and busted 34 naxal camps and bunkers. Altogether 22 Maoists have also laid down their arms during the period.
Published 18 June 2024, 17:00 IST