Two Security Personnel Killed, One Injured In Jharkhand Encounter With Maoists

Two security personnel were killed and another injured in an encounter with members of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), a splinter group of the CPI (Maoist), in Jharkhand’s Palamu district on Thursday.

According to PTI, The gunfight began around 12.30 am in Kedal village under the Manatu police station area, Palamu Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Naushad Alam said. He confirmed that the injured policeman had been admitted to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital in Daltonganj.

The two personnel killed in the exchange of fire were identified as Santan Mehta and Sunil Ram, PTI reported. Casualties among the TSPC are yet to be verified, Alam added.

Palamu Superintendent of Police Reeshma Ramesan said the operation was launched following information about the presence of TSPC commander Shashikant Ganjhu and his squad in the village.

“As the security personnel reached the village, TSPC members spotted them and opened fire. In the ensuing gunfight, three security personnel received bullet injuries. They were immediately taken to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared two of them dead, and the injured policeman is undergoing treatment,” she said.

Police said the Naxals managed to escape after the exchange, and a search operation has been launched in the area.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed grief over the deaths. “The martyrdom of two police personnel, Santan Mehta Ji and Sunil Ram Ji, during a special operation in the Kedla jungle under the Manatu area of Palamu is extremely painful. May Marang Buru grant peace to the souls of the departed brave martyrs and give strength to their grieving families to bear this hour of sorrow,” he posted on X.

(With inputs from PTI)